RamblePak64 Archive
This category contains all posts relating to the RamblePak64 video channel. Each video posted comes with additional notes and commentary. Sometimes it pertains to content left on the cutting room floor. Other times it involves my thoughts and feelings working on that video.
The first in a series where I do quick, non-spoiler video reviews of smaller indie games that I found worthwhile and worth recommending.
On one hand, this video really could have been finished in the span of the week, which is the ideal for a quick, twelve-minute recommendation video. On the other hand, two complications cropped up: the first one has me feeling like a bit of a fool.
Towards the four-minute mark, I mention several combat capabilities that I barely used. I used them so rarely that scrubbing for footage was going to take excruciatingly long just to find those abilities in action. As such, I tried to find ways to scrub through faster and more efficiently, only to realize too late I could just boot up the game, load an end-game save, and demonstrate the moves in one simple, short clip. I need to start considering these things more during the video editing process, especially while scripting.
However, while having to deal with heavy scrubbing is enough to kill my motivation to push through editing, the real problem was more personal. A lot of drama at my Church, a very important place to me, and so I have found myself quite depressed and struggling to work on things. However, I managed to finish, and have proven to myself the Ramble Recommends concept can work.
Not unlike its predecessor, Darksiders 3 is a fascinating and well-designed experience peppered with flaws and potentially contradictory decisions. However, while I feel the level and gameplay design seen an improvement in the third entry of the series, I also feel the story takes a major downward turn. Join me as we take a close look at the design of Darksiders 3 by Gunfire Games.
The Darksiders 3 video is finally complete after unfortunate delay. I am actually surprised it is nearly an hour long, and perhaps with a bit more time put into examining the level-design and each Sin’s region, it could have been as lengthy as the video for the original Darksiders. I’m glad I did not choose to make it so long, however.
I will be honest and confess to being unsatisfied with this video. While I had chosen to perform some experiments, they only made a minor impact on how I felt during the video’s creation and editing process. I won’t share my own personal critiques of my work, but needless to say, there are multiple points where it feels like a shoddy and rushed product despite the time taken.
Nonetheless, I am always my own worst critic, and I still feel like this video can stand on its own as my personal reasoning for why I enjoy Darksiders 3 despite each of its flaws. For that reason, I would not change much. Additionally, the lessons learned while producing this video were incredibly valuable, and were perhaps a very, very long-time coming.
The latest RamblePak64 critique doubles as a recommendation to check out Evil West, Flying Wild Hog's action combat game set in the supernatural wild west.
It may seem unusual to apologize for how long it took to get this video out. After all, it’s only April and I’ve already released three videos this year. The last time I even released three videos in a year total was 2019. My track-record since December has generally been pretty good, and has the potential to be my best ever.
While I am glad to have maintained a positive rate of video production thus far, the Evil West analysis would have been available earlier were it not for an unfortunate case of strep throat, the sudden onslaught of depression for about a week or two, and the frustratingly timed food poisoning I suffered. Regardless of these setbacks, the greatest trial was having to edit footage for a game’s combat analysis for the first time since last year’s Darksiders critique. Such editing is a bitterly tiresome, time-consuming task, often requiring lengthy stretches of scrubbing different video clips for the particular instances of gameplay I need. The most common feedback I get regarding this struggle is to simply write down when these things happen, yet the intensity of the moment prevents me from writing down or making note of such specific mechanics. Simultaneously, I do not always know what specific moments I’ll need until I’m far into the game, or on one of my drafts of the script.
Honestly, I cannot say I am entirely satisfied with this video, but that is nothing new. It has been a year since I last completed an analysis of this sort, and even that was after being rusty for some time. Really, however, it was a matter of “rushing” the script at points, something I hope not to do with the next project.
Speaking of, I do not know how long the wait for the next deep dive will be. The script writing process has proven a challenge, but a welcome one. I plan to have an interim video, a bit of an experiment that won’t require any video game capture, but certainly will require video editing. I hope to release that video by mid-May, and for the next deep-dive to be posted some time in June.
Before I leave you, though, I wanted to share a few more thoughts on Evil West that could not fit into the video.
The Super Mario Bros. movie is an absolutely charming ride through Nintendo's Mushroom Kingdom, brought to life by the talented artists at Illumination Studios. Of this, there is no doubt. However, after some viewings at home, I couldn't help but feel like the game's script did not measure up to the artistic talent on-screen.
I had sung the praises quite vocally and publicly of the Super Mario Bros. movie when it released in theaters last year. I acknowledged it was imperfect, sure, but I didn’t spend a lot of time dwelling on this imperfections. I instead emphasized and even exaggerated the good qualities, decrying critics for either being out of touch or simply too biased in their tastes.
However, going back to its home video release, I couldn’t help but feel like there was something lacking. I often have podcasts or movies playing in the background while I complete work tasks, but some movies just do not carry as strongly when you lose the ability to focus on the visual element. When a film can only be carried by its script, you start to realize just how lacking that script may be.
Such was the case with the Super Mario Bros. movie. A lot of that joy was gone once the visual element was taken away.
A rundown of the remaining games of 2023 that left a major impact on me.
The second part of the year in review is now done! I apologize for the delay, as things were busy not only during December, but throughout much of January as well. I also got sick during the holiday break, preventing me from being able to record the necessary audio to even begin video editing.
However, I managed to push through and beat the latest deadline I made for myself: end of January.
I’ve gotta say, working on these two videos back-to-back with a deadline on each was quite the learning experience. At the very least, I am far more comfortable working in Adobe Premiere Elements now, enough so that I am surprised it took me so long to make the jump. I was very attached to my process with Windows Movie Maker 6, but it was clear that it was time to move on to something more modern and far more capable. Premiere Elements still doesn’t have the full suite of options most content creators are utilizing, but it certainly allows for more control over what I can do in a video and how I can integrate sound than before.
However, I’ve been learning a lot of other lessons working on these.
A video rundown of the most impactful games played by RamblePak64 in the first half of 2023.
The first part of the 2023 year in review is now live! I must admit, I’ve been having a lot of fun working on this, even if it’s meant little in the way of gaming time has been done the past couple of weeks. It’s really revitalized my enjoyment of video editing after Alan Wake nearly destroyed it. I’ve also been rethinking my approach to content creation as a whole, as doing an anthology video like this and doing smaller little reviews has been quite a blast. There may be a lot of big changes coming in 2024.
But, before I endeavor to outline those thoughts and plans, I need to finish part two. Unfortunately, I still have two games to complete that are going to be in that video. Fortunately, most of the script is already finished save for those two games, and I am nearly done with one of those titles. This means starting next week I can begin recording audio and cutting video together even while completing the rest of the titles.
Which is, perhaps, the greatest benefit to this Year in Review project: it has confirmed that the work flow I had begun experimenting with on the now shelved Alan Wake video not only works, but has increased my enjoyment of making videos by a great amount.
After two-and-a-half years of silence, I've not only released a new video, but my most extensive analysis yet. This post documents some of the lessons learned while giving some behind-the-scenes thoughts on the struggles presented in creating this deep dive look into one of my favorite games.
It is not a joke to say that this video has been two-and-a-half years in the making. More, actually. Though the primary footage I used from the Nintendo Switch version of the game is dated August of 2020, I had actually decided to make a video during a random play through in 2019. It was then that I first began to notice my little, nit-picking gripes with the Twilight Cathedral, but in order to properly convey my thoughts I needed footage from the 3D Zelda games. This is what kick-started the intended Zelda series, beginning with A Link to the Past and intended to conclude with Twilight Princess, then leading into Darksiders.
Unfortunately this did not come to pass for many reasons, some of which I’ve already gone into. Getting laid off pre-Covid, depression, and undue pressure upon myself with each video made led to the lengthy absence from YouTube. Nonetheless, in August of 2020, at least, I was contemplating just cutting ahead to Darksiders anyway.
In truth, I needed that time away to make this video. The baggage dragging me down and causing each video to be more stressful than enjoyable needed to be unpacked and sorted out. There was no way I’d have dared make a video this long, and I would have been tempted to give up at the script level as I tried to condense all of my thoughts into something far shorter.
It is not perfect, but this lengthy deep-dive look at one of my favorite games is precisely what I needed it to be.
Is The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time as legendary as its reputation would suggest? Probably not by modern standards, but taken in the context of its release, it is very easy to see how the game made such an impression and would influence the industry for years to come.
It’s interesting to look back at The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and realize that it and the original Half-Life were probably the most important video games of 1998. It perhaps says a lot of myself that neither games were favorites of mine, despite certainly being games I enjoyed and thoroughly respected. Both games were incredibly influential, but I find it interesting how those inspired by Half-Life wore that inspiration out in the open. Ocarina of Time seems to have carried a far more subtle influence across the industry, but it can certainly be felt in some games regarding both the lock-on and the approach to more sophisticated A.I.
Something I’ve learned the past few years working on this channel is that I will notice things in the editing process that I never picked up on while playing the game. It’s the difference between being an active participant, your concentration and focus working aggressively as you try to compartmentalize the combat arena, and being the observer, able to take in all the action from a safe distance. I always stumble upon these observations too late in my process. Even if I had a more organic way to squeeze them into the timeline, I’m so exhausted with the project that I’ll find myself doing what I can to get it out the door.
To that end, there’s one observation I’d like to go into further detail here on the blog.
A look back at how Nintendo evolved one of their biggest creations and established a new template for the series to follow.
I am sorry that this video did not manage to release in December. However, I hope it shall mark the beginning of a productive and quality 2020 for the channel. While I struggled and tore my hair out over it – and if I’m being honest, I still do not think it was as strong as the three videos preceding it were – I am pleased to have put together such a positive video on a game that I’ve grown to lose some love for.
It’s not like I’ve suddenly begun to hate A Link to the Past. It’s more that I found it equally engaging and frustrating in parts. If you were to ask me why I was irritated, I could only come up with half of a solid answer. As stated in the video’s conclusion, I find the Light World too easy and linear to progress through. There is neither challenge nor freedom, and I feel a game ought to have one or the other. It is also a game where increased skill does not increase the pace at which one progresses by much. If you are good at, say, Super Mario Bros., then you can speed on through the early levels with minimal engagement with the enemies and only tackling those obstacles that are required. The early levels will take exponentially less time upon subsequent playthroughs. A Link to the Past does not have the same benefit due to the perspective of the camera and static speed of its protagonist.
Once you’ve skipped past those first few hours, the game should be a lot more enjoyable, yes? I will admit that the discovery of just how open the game can be provides an additional layer of engagement. You’re no longer just following the rails, but actively choosing what manner to tackle the dungeons on your own terms. There is one question that I struggle to answer, though, that may hold the secret to why this game may have lost some of my favor.
Is the combat any good?
What makes a Godzilla movie a good Godzilla movie? I look at three of the greatest pillars of the franchise to figure out what made the series first stand out and how they should be measured in comparison.
While watching the final rendered version of this video, I realized that I really ought to have done more research into the development of Shin Godzilla. I had tried to read up on the subjects of Wa, Honne, and Tatemae, and even spoke with a Japanese immigrant and her daughter at my Church to see if I was on the right track. I put some time into confirming the inspirations for all three films. Yet I establish a lot of theories about Hideaki Anno’s intentions without having read any interviews to even confirm if they might be true.
Live and learn.
I’m still proud of this video. Even if someone comes in and says “you’re wrong about Anno’s intentions, here’s the source”, I at least provoked some thought and encouraged discussion. That is what I’ve determined my channel is for at this point. I need to update the cover art and some of the about information to make this clear, but I no longer view the channel as a place for me to “teach” or “educate” others. That is a position of hubris and one in which I will constantly feel self-conscious about every decision. If I actively aim to come forward to simply communicate – to discuss my thoughts and feelings regarding the things that I love – as opposed to assuming a position of knowledgeable authority, then I will have far more fun with this channel than I had in the past.
While I do not have the same love for Final Fantasy IX as others in the YouTube community, I still have a great appreciation for what the game manages to accomplish.
I am not as proud of this video as I was of Final Fantasy VI, but I’m not necessarily bothered by that fact. I’ve already expressed the thought, but ideally I’d have the time and ability to replay a game two or three times before I try and craft the script and compile my analysis together. As always, it was during the editing stage that I began to pick up on a lot of little elements I could have expounded upon, whole ideas I had repeated, and character traits and dialogue that I had completely forgotten about. In fact, my interpretation of the character Freya could be quite inaccurate based upon some of the footage I scrubbed through.
Nevertheless, I think the core of the video is still solid. While I could have illustrated the points better, I think the end result would have been the same. Final Fantasy IX has a philosophy about a life well-lived, and I think I do a suitable job exploring this idea.
A critical dig into Final Fantasy VI to uncover what made it a classic and determine how well it has aged.
I haven’t had so much fun working on a video in a long time. I still had moments of doubt and frustration while fitting the script together, and there are still plenty of flaws that stand out strongly to me. However, if I wanted to start 2019 with a video saying “this is what RamblePak64 ought to be”, then my analysis of Final Fantasy VI is it.
I’m considering an additional video to follow up this one, taking a closer examination at some of the mechanics and narrative elements that just didn’t fit with the flow of this video. If it’s a success, then it should make it easier going forward to put together a strong primary video, the core of the analysis, which can then be followed up with deeper examinations as a bonus to my followers. Plus, if there’s any weakness in this video, it’s in the discussion of the game’s narrative themes. I was so focused on taking as little time as possible that I feel I make the weakest case for myself there. Nevertheless, it’s not enough that I’m crying about it.
After many delays my Rise of the Tomb Raider analysis is finally complete, but not without plenty of struggle, self-doubt, and lessons learned.
I was beginning to feel like this video was cursed. I first suffered a herniated disc that took over a month of non-Switch gaming out of the free timing equation. Holidays and other factors slowed the recording and editing process. The first day I began editing the video I ran into numerous crashes and even a blue screen of death. However, nothing was as great a struggle as simply writing the script.
My first hurdle was simply realizing I didn’t have to discuss gameplay. It has sort of become my template to discuss mechanics before narrative, and one of the reasons I love playing these Tomb Raider games is because of the appeal of exploration involved. The problem is nearly every element of Tomb Raider’s gameplay is done better elsewhere. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say is more preferably designed elsewhere? I was tearing my hair out trying to figure out how to illustrate my love of the game’s design while recognizing its various flaws, but every draft was not only a chore to type, but a chore to reread. There was nothing informative or entertaining. Just pure rationalization.
So I took a brief break and decided to return to one of my first sources of inspiration on YouTube: MrBtongue.
In my latest video I dissect the mechanics and narrative of indie game Iconoclasts.
If you were to ask me if I were more proud of this video or my Metroid Prime: Echoes analysis, I’m not sure I’d be able to tell you. My only disappointment in this one is that I felt it necessary to not go too in-depth with certain matters. Perhaps a wise choice, as there are a few minor details I never noticed or considered until the editing process. Typically this is where I start to be disappointed, but while it might reinterpret some of what I said, much of my argument remains intact.
I’ll get into that a bit further down. First, some of that classic “behind-the-scenes” talk. I think the hardest part of this script for me was discussing Pacing, and even then I’m not sure I did a suitable job. It is the weakest aspect of this video, though largely attributable to how large a topic it really is. There are several different ways the term “pacing” can be applied to a game, and to try and cover good and bad examples of them all is its own demanding project. As long as YouTube is a hobby I don’t think I can ever truly dedicate the time necessary to such a video, and so I may have to return to it later.
I can only hope otherwise that I sufficiently made my points well regarding characters, their similarities, and their conflicts. The original script called for a far, far deeper dive into Agent Black, but it took too much attention and time away from other matters I wanted to discuss. I don’t know if I’ll have the time to do minor videos on some of these characters, but I certainly have plenty of footage to use.
An explanation of why I love one of Nintendo's more underdog titles for the Switch.
I under-estimated this video from start to finish, and if I’m speaking honestly it is only up right now because I expect it to be one of my least popular videos simply based on the game itself. I don’t expect people to be interested in why Fire Emblem Warriors might be better than they’d assume. This video was put out in the haste it was because I’m eager to move on to Iconoclasts.
I’d rather be honest about this, because if people think it’s a poor video I want them to understand that I recognize it and fully blame myself. Of course, if I thought the modifications necessary could have truly made it better, I’d have taken the time to do them. I put in the effort to rerecord three whole audio segments due to erroneous information, only to scrap two of those bits in the final editing phase. One correction turned out to be even more erroneous than the original recording, and the second was inconsistent with my footage. In the end, I decided the point I was making was fluff and discarded it.
