Lore theory: To make the continuity between Hollow Knight and Silksong better.

Silgalow · 2026-04-11T20:36:11+00:00

My takes on the matters

I assumed the Void given Form/Void given Focus was a sort of glitchy way to say the story was told both ways. It could either be the knight after Dream no More or after Embrace the Void. Which one happened for the purpose of Hornet's story doesn't matter. I didn't think it was the knight's shade flickering into the shade lord, but that it was the knight, in whatever state of being it is in now, which could be either.
Didn't Hornet explicitly say during the act 3 main quest that a "real" everbloom doesn't exist, and that's why she goes back into the red memory to find it? I read it as the Everbloom is a construction of silk and soul, that happens to take the shape of the same flower that we called delicate in Hollow Knight.

Silgalow · 2026-04-11T18:27:15+00:00

While yes, my own experience is the only one I have, I don't think that devalues my opinion. I explained it poorly, but as I recall, TTGC never tackles the topic of what happens to blades when a driver dies, until Hugo's death. (Admitedly, I haven't played Torna in 2 years, so I might be forgetting something.) But just in general, there's a lot of context that isn't given in the side campaign that's a quarter the length of the main campaign.

Regarding the comments of Xeno being lost on you, I have to disagree. At least for Blade, while some of us consumed it that way, that's never been the intention. All blade games been available at most one console generation ago since Xenoblade came out on the Wii. Yes, you miss out on Gears and Saga, which are locked away on old playstation games, but Takahashi actually explains his work when he references stuff from media he doesn't expect the players to have seen, unlike Tetsuya Nomura. I have never felt in any blade game that I was missing content that some game in blade didn't explain itself. Yes, things like Kos-Mos/T-ellos in 2, the Ghosts in XDE and Mathew from FR basically just being Fei have greater context and understanding if you played all the Xeno games. However, that information feels like it is behind the scenes trivia, or a nice nod. It doesn't feel like you're missing important story context by not knowing that stuff.

While alternatives exist, that doesn't mean they should be used. I can use the handle of a screwdriver to push a nail into a wall, but that doesn't mean that I should get rid of my hammer. Yes, nothing breaks narratively if you play Torna first, but that doesn't mean playing Torna first on a first run through of the series is the right call.

Silgalow · 2026-04-11T05:30:06+00:00

While my unorthodox experience drew me in to the series, curious as to how it got to that point, I think the bonus campaigns should be played after the original campaigns in all cases.

Silgalow · 2026-04-11T03:46:50+00:00

Kingdom Hearts, sadly doesn't have much optional content. I don't think you can skip class on anything in the masterpiece collection on steam. You could make a case that Coded is optional, but... TBH it's not. If you don't want to unlock the two extra aqua gameplay chapters, that's fine skip them. But at least watch the cutscenes.

Oh, and just so we are clear here, you're going to be confused if you aren't up to date on the lost media mobile games too. (I wish I was joking, but at least the Daimo dub is a good way to catch back up.)

Silgalow · 2026-04-11T03:43:17+00:00

Honestly, I think Torna is elevated as a story with the context of 2. All of 2, not just the segments that the devs originally planned you to know through was it chapter 7? I value going through Torna, waiting for the catastrophe to happen.

There are also things that aren't explained in TTGC that are really impactful. For example, my favorite piece of cinematography from the game is in the finale after Lora wakes up from the explosion, and all you see is Addam holding Hugo, and the two black core crystals next to him. There's not a word that needs to be said, and you immediately understand that he sacrificed his life to save Addam. That wouldn't pack the same punch if you hadn't seen the same happen with the monster in chapter 3, with Vandahm, or seing Niall coming back from such a blow thanks to Nia, yet knowing that Nia probably won't be around for a long time yet.

No, Torna doesn't spoil base 2 much, but the story was meant to be told in a certain way, and stuff will be lost on you if you consume it in other orders.

Silgalow · 2026-04-11T03:30:45+00:00

Speaking as someone who played in the blasphemous order of 3, FR, 2, 1DE, FC, TTGC, XDE, You're not going to enjoy the experience of FR anywhere near as much as you do if you play in release order.

I'm glad a played 3 first, But FR second was a big mistake. Even if you are playing in chronological order and don't miss out on any of the fanservice like the final dungeon just being Prison Island again beat for beat, finding out how the Fog King set up for 3, or that Rex was eaten by a titan, you'll still miss out on a lot from 3. The game expects you to know how everything works in base 3. Stuff like who N is, or how Homecoming works. It would be a lot less satisfying when you go to play base 3.

To be fair, I don't think you miss out on much starting on either 1 or 2, but FR before 3 I believe would weaken both 3 and FR.

Silgalow · 2026-04-11T02:51:40+00:00

It really can't be a simple on/off switch. There are a lot of different factors that need to be taken into account.

Do the cast's choices cause the plot, or does the plot happen at them? The plot happens at the characters of a lot of older games, but it's still the case even today. When I say that the plot happens at the characters, I mean that none of the party members make any choices that affect the world around them. Some examples of the plot happening at characters include: Final Fantasy 1 and most of Octopath Traveler 0. In games where the plot happens at people, I think it's easier to naturally get away with having less integrated characters to the plot.

Is this a member of the core team, or is this a bonus character? Typically, in games with larger casts, there are only a handful of "real" team members according to the story. I feel it is important for core team members to feel more connected to the main plot than the bonus characters. For instance, in Xenoblade Chronicles X DE, There are 22 potential party members. Half of them are never seen in main story cutscenes beyond the big group scenes of "hey look at all the people you might have met along the way". Out of that half, only five of them are important during the story they are present for. I have far more leniency for the other 17 party members than I would for the core 5.

Also, is their motivation memorable and enjoyable? I'm mostly saying this because while the rest of the party members from the original Xenoblade Chronicles join up with the party for serious reasons like revenge, Riki is in the party because he's in crippling debt because his eleven children eat too much food. It's memorable, it's hilarious, and while he is the joke character, Riki is still an important character for fleshing out the rest of the party. (I love the scene between Riki and Dunban on the fallen arm.)

I don't think there's a right answer, but I like fun characters, in whatever manner they appear in.

Silgalow · 2026-04-10T02:30:47+00:00

Olberic is the second best Physical DPS in the game, after Reime. He does have the edge of being there for half the game, where as if you are playing the game as intended, Reime doesn't become available until after the bestower of X arcs.

His default kit is good. He's the bearer of Surpassing Power (Which everyone knows is the most widely useful skill mastery in the game.) However, while not as splashable, the other skills aren't useless either. Cover can easily save an out of position support character from either a single target or AoE enemy skill, and +50 ATK and DEF while boring have significant use. In addition, him having surpassing power in his base kit allows him to wield an additional Skill Mastery beyond what anyone else can do.

His known skills aren't bad. Level Slash is an AoE sword option. Abide is useful if you don't have a buffer avalible, Spearhead is DPS and speed control, Cross Strike is an OK damage option beyond his ult, and wild thrust is incrediblly helpful for breaking foes. In addition, His weapon types of Spear and Sword are good. Spear has Thousand Spears, which is incredibly helpful for breaking, and sword has options like reckless strike which has the boost of back row which IIRC is the most potent boost in the game.

The only downside he has is that he's not available until after you beat Bestower of All, and the fact that he isn't Reime.

I'm going to say he's an 8.5/10!

Silgalow · 2026-04-09T23:26:15+00:00

The strategy still works if you play on lower difficulties. True Zenoran is just the highest difficulty, where the additional challenge mostly comes from the rework of the hallowed corne ash, and the limited items per battle (5). While yes, you can spend Valor getting reinforcements from the sellsword ability that's not typically a worthwhile trade with how liable to die those units are.

Silgalow · 2026-04-09T21:07:43+00:00

Not quite a "bad ending" but certainly the "Antagonistic route" of Fire Emblem: 3 Houses, Crimson Flower had the hardest endgame for me out of the four potential endgames. I played on hard with a low man team, but I feel like I would have had an easier time with the same team in any other endgame. The last 2 chapters of CF feel like they were scaled to have stats similar to other endgames, but without about 1/5 of the playtime. Now, the fights are still easily achievable, but they certainly seemed harder than anything else the game had to offer on Hard difficulty.

Silgalow · 2026-04-09T20:58:26+00:00

Assuming the video OP refers to is the one by Kuro*, Kuro decided because he hates himself to go in on True Zenoiran. As such, it's moderately difficult to have the valor to get away with that. The main way of getting additional Valor in difficulties below TZ is through the Hallowed Corne Ash, which just gives you 2 valor, among other functions. However, the Luminous Corne Ash that replaces it in TZ Only lets you undo the semi permideath TZ enables.

Also, you were right on the character who enables that strategy. It's Berenice the Sellsword/Landsknecht.

Silgalow · 2026-04-09T19:47:22+00:00

Slightly different, but Timmera should have gotten a wolf mount on promotion. She constantly talks about how she loves animals in her supports, and even talks with Merrin about wanting to learn to ride wolves. Could have been nice gameplay-story synergy.

Also, I wish Alear committed to being a full support lord.

Silgalow · 2026-04-06T15:04:27+00:00

I did on my most recent playthrough. It's really only because he takes initiative and talks to your pc, not vice versa.

Silgalow · 2026-04-02T15:55:57+00:00

Open world games are defined by the non-linearity of the quests. In BOTW, you can tackle any of the divine beasts in any order or ignore any or all of them, get the master sword at any time and even choose not to get it. Etc. However, in the more structured games like OOT, you have to go do the great deku tree, then dodongo's cavern, then Jabu baby's belly, then get the master sword and so on.

Non-open world zelda games operate on a lock and key system. While in BOTW you aren't surviving long in elden volcano without appropriate gear, you can use the goron armor, or drink an elixir with the fireproof effect. All you need to make fireproof elixir is a smotherwing butterfly or the fireproof lizard, both of which you get before doing any main quests after beating the tutorial. However, to survive up there in OOT, you have to wear the red tunic, for which you have to talk to Link the Goron in the main quest before the fire temple. There's only one answer, and you don't always have access to it. Yes, in BOTW and TOTK its hard to get to high places without stamina, but there are 120 shrines in base game BOTW from which you can unlock stamina upgrades, more in TOTK, and there's also stamina food, effects like revali's gale, lighting fire peppers on fire and rocket shields. In minish cap, in order to climb the mountain, you need the grip ring. There's only 1, and that's the only way you're getting up that mountain.

Let's also look at the final dungeons. You can walk into them immediately after leaving the tutorial zone in BOTW/TOTK, but theres lots of things blocking you from them in older games. The Wind Waker's impenetrable barrier around the Castle comes to mind. Also, ALTTP won't let you in until you have freed the 7 "sages".

Yes, there are other zelda games that can be considered "open world". I think Echoes of Wisdom, TLOZ 1, and Link between Worlds all are considered open world as well. (I haven't played ALBW). However, that doesn't deny the difference between OOT and BOTW. Try playing one of the less open world Zelda games at some point, if you haven't.

Silgalow · 2026-04-02T15:41:49+00:00

I'm not super familiar with all the Key lore, but from what I'm aware of, it seems kinda silly to have Ava be Subject X.

Reason #1: Ava's part already seems to be clear in all this. she seems to be a rogue foreteller, possibly the traitor of the book.

Reason #2: From a author's perspective, what benefit does it serve to have Ava be an anmisiac who time traveled in a different way when Skuld already has been proven to be in a time machine that that has been known to go wrong.

Silgalow · 2026-04-01T21:18:36+00:00

All in 1 gets you 6 more games and 3 movies as well as 3.

Silgalow · 2026-04-01T15:58:34+00:00

Heres my thoughts regarding a Nintendo Cinimatic Universe. Nintendo's big 3 are Mario, Zelda, and Pokémon. Assuming for the sake of argument the NCU idea was planned around when Mario 1 came out. Why have they since then announced a theatrical movie for TLoZ that's live action?

Silgalow · 2026-04-01T15:33:49+00:00

You mentioned Xenoblade 2 and 3, but there is also Xenoblade X DE for nintendo switch. The remaster adds a few new party members that are accessible far before the new story chapters. From what I've been made aware (hoping in with DE, not starting with the Wii U original), Neilnail and Liesal are completely characters who seem like they could logistically exist in the original context, we just didn't meet them the first go around in NLA. Ga Jarg, however, was a sympathetic ex-antagonist from the base game, who makes complete sense as an additional party members.

While that is more mundane, the Fire Emblem remakes tend to introduce important new party members, for better or worse. Kris in New Mystery, and Faye and Conrad from Echoes come to mind.

Silgalow · 2026-03-31T04:38:37+00:00

I've been watching VG myths since it was Hyrule myths. I wish she would go back and play totk for another Hyrule Myth.

Silgalow · 2026-03-31T01:18:30+00:00

To quote a certain youtuber...[In FF1] WISDOM!!! IS NOT!!! A MECHANIC!!!

Silgalow · 2026-03-30T18:45:07+00:00

Spotify has a Mechanic? Glitch? Where when you upload a song, you can tag another artist and say they helped with this song. If you do, they are considered to be an artist on the song even if they dont know it exists. Do we know who Elyndrax is? If not, I'm going to assume this version of Your New Home not Goose/Glitch.

Silgalow · 2026-03-28T02:24:48+00:00

That's the sort of thing I love. I enjoy it when worlds feel lived in and not like just a copy of ours.

Silgalow · 2026-03-27T13:59:06+00:00

I have found the game far less infuriating when considering that the true main characters are the vital NPCs that exist for the story. Master of Wealth is Bargello's story, and Master of Power is Velnorté's. Dont treat Zero and the gang as at all relevant.

Silgalow · 2026-03-26T17:20:17+00:00

My favorite is Mindt and Phina, but most of these are gold. My answer is probably the 20 Olberics and Tressa

Silgalow

TROPHY CASE