“As the columns of hail grew thinner, I saw the white figure more distinctly. It was very large, for a silver birch-tree touched its shoulder. It was of white marble, in shape something like a winged sphinx, but the wings, instead of being carried vertically at the sides, were spread so that it seemed to hover. The pedestal, it appeared to me, was of bronze, and was thick with verdigris. It chanced that the face was towards me; the sightless eyes seemed to watch me; there was the faint shadow of a smile on the lips. It was greatly weather-worn, and that imparted an unpleasant suggestion of disease. I stood looking at it for a little space—half a minute, perhaps, or half an hour. It seemed to advance and to recede as the hail drove before it denser or thinner. At last I tore my eyes from it for a moment, and saw that the hail curtain had worn threadbare, and that the sky was lightening with the promise of the sun.”

Introduction

The Time Machine, a novella by H. G. Wells, has captured my attention for some time. Although considered a lesser work by some, The Time Machine is interesting for its adventure, its exploration of class, and of course, time travel. It was originally published in 1895 and since then has spawned multiple adaptations–a handful of films, radio programs, and comics. And of course, the novella’s handling of time travel and time machines has inspired numerous other texts.

The basic premise is that a man, known only as the Traveller, journeys to the far future. He is an inventor and scientist and imagines he’ll come into contact with some advanced civilization but is instead met with decay. Civilization has fallen. In place of humans, two species exist–the Eloi who live above ground and the dangerous Morlocks who creep beneath the surface. The Eloi, described as delicate and child-like creatures, represent the rich, and the Morlocks, light-fearing and ape-like, represent the poor working classes. Ultimately, The Time Machine’s message is one of warning–ignore economic inequality and humans risk a disastrous future.

Amidst this dystopia, the Traveller witnesses many things, including that winged sphinx made of white marble. It’s described as being sightless and yet it always had eyes on the Traveller… 

When I was a young adult, I read The Time Machine for the first time. I was an avid reader then, picking up whatever I could get my hands on. When I initially read The Time Machine, I was intrigued by the journey, that a man would fling himself into the year 802,701. Beyond the adventurous aspects, I couldn’t stop thinking about two things. 1) What does it do to a person to have knowledge of the future, and 2) what about that sphinx? The sphinx fascinates me to this day. It’s what’s kept me coming back to the book and what sparked me to research its meaning and mysteries at various points over the years.

The sphinx is a striking figure–one that seems diseased and menacing, but it doesn’t just appear in the book. Wells insisted the sphinx appear on the novella’s cover, and it would have been meaningful to his audience. Afterall, the novella was published in 1895, at the tail end of the Victorian era, and the Victorians were fascinated with Egypt. 

But I’ll get to that. In order to really understand the sphinx, we need to take a step back into myth and antiquity.

History of the Sphinx

The most well-known sphinx is the one above, the Great Sphinx of Giza. Made of limestone, this reclining sphinx has the head of a man and the body of a lion. The Egyptian sphinx is a symbol of a pharaoh’s power, a guardian of the underworld, and a religious symbol found in both myth and architecture and that has influenced depictions of sphinxes in several cultures. Sphinxes can appear as male or female, though typically male, and as a composite of various beasts, with “the most common combination [being] the body of a lion and a human with the face of a reigning king or queen” (Pinch 206). They are depicted both standing and prone. While the Great Sphinx of Giza is the most iconic of the Egyptian sphinxes, other common sphinxes include Aker and Tutu (Pinch 206).

Egyptian sphinxes had several functions including that of guardian and dispatcher of enemies. They serve “as terrifying animated guardians for temples or tombs” (Pinch 206). In one Egyptian myth, “the centre of the Underworld is occupied by an enormous twin-headed sphinx called Aker” (Clark 169). Inside of Aker is a cavern where a snake resides, and this snake helps the sphinx attempt to hold back the god Osiris (Clark 169-171). In other literature, the sphinx is recognized as having a connection with the horizon and sun. In reference to the Night-sea Journey of the Solar Barge, Joseph Campbell says that the sphinx “may represent the solar power inherent in divine kingship” (76).

Other prominent sphinxes originate from the Greeks. Depending on the source, the Greek sphinx’s history and parentage varies slightly. According to Hesiod (9th century BCE), the sphinx was born of Orthos and Chimera (12), while The Library of Greek Mythology (2nd century BCE) claims she was born of Typhon and Echidna (Apollodorus 106). In both cases, the sphinx, sometimes referred to as Phix when referenced in the Oedipus tale, was an enigmatic figure born of monsters and associated with terror and disease. 

Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex (5th century BCE), the first of the Theban plays, makes reference to the sphinx several times. She is referred to as a “[s]orceress” (4) and as an “oracular monster” (17). In this text, the sphinx is mentioned in the ending chorus, demonstrating how essential Phix is to Oedipus’ identity; Oedipus is “[t]he man who solved the riddle marvellous” (55).

Apollodorus describes the sphinx as having the body of a lion, wings, and a woman’s head (106); “She had learned a riddle from the Muses, and seated on Mount Phicion, she posed it to the Thebans” (106). In this depiction, the sphinx is a plague upon the Thebans, not allowing them to pass unless they can answer her riddle: “what is it that has a single voice, and has four feet, and then two feet, and then three feet?” (106). While most Egyptian sphinxes were male, Pinch states that “[f]emale sphinxes sometimes had wings, and it may be this form that influenced the development of the female sphinx of Greek mythology” (206).

Close-mouthed you sat five thousand years and never let out a whisper.

A Sphinx by Carl Sandburg

The sphinx. Guardian. Monster. Riddler. If you’ve noticed a pattern in the sphinx’s behaviors and forms, that’s because there is one. And one way to understand this pattern is by discussing the sphinx as an archetype.

So what’s an archetype? In his book Anatomy of Criticism, Northrop Frye talks about how whenever we read something we interpret signs. For a simple example, the word “dog” is symbolic of a four-legged creature that English speakers have decided will be called “dog.” We make meaning and share associations. When we read, we also learn to look for deeper symbolic meanings of words and images within texts. In an essay titled “Ethical Criticism: Theory of Symbols,” Frye introduces what he calls the “Formal Phase” in which he discusses the recurrence of patterns in literature. He begins by establishing that the form of a poem remains the same whether we look at the poem by itself or compare it to other poems. There are certain aspects of poetry that make a poem a poem and such aspects are expected by the reader. In this same sense, a symbol or archetype can stand alone in a single piece of work and contain meaning in that work while at the same time carry meaning in other pieces of literature. Frye refers to this as “the moving body of imagery in a work of literature” (Frye 83). Essentially what he’s saying is that an image can exist within and outside of any given text. Readers and viewers are used to recognizing these archetypes. Making connections between texts is something we all do naturally and sub-consciously. Frye claims that the symbol, or archetype, in literature is the communicable unit; it is this unit readers will recognize.

Others agree with this definition of “archetype.” The Oxford English Dictionary defines “archetype” as “a pervasive idea, image, or symbol.” Joseph Cambell said that “An archetype is a constant form, a basic fundamental form which appears in the works of that person over there, and this person over here, without connecting them” (Masks of Eternity, 1988). A more detailed definition states that “[t]he literary critic applies the term to an image, a descriptive detail, a plot pattern, or a character type that occurs frequently in literature…” (Harmon 43).

If the sphinx is an archetype, where does the sphinx appear?

Well…practically everywhere.

What led to all this? We can credit Egyptomania and the Victorians for this one.

Cultural Context: Egyptomania

“I do not think Silas a product of nature, but a child of the Sphinx, and I never could understand him”

Uncle Silas by Sheridan Le Fanu

Although its early beginnings are deeply rooted in Greek and Egyptian mythology, the sphinx is readily found throughout Western literature from the late 1700’s to the early 1900’s. John Keats, Charles Dickens, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Margaret Fuller, Andrew Downing, and many others including French, Russian, Scottish, and Irish authors mentioned the sphinx in their work. And although the sphinx is brought up in earlier literary periods, its references seem most abundant in the Romantic, Victorian, and Transcendentalist eras of literature where it mostly maintained its classic functions and appearance.

The recurrence of the sphinx in literature can, in part, be explained historically. In her book Reading the Sphinx, Lynn Parramore discusses the changes England went through by the end of the eighteenth century. England was a wealthy nation due to the Industrial Revolution and they were successfully trading with India as well as North and South America (Parramore 17). The French were recovering from their own revolution and sought a means to conquer and usurp their world power. According to Parramore, “Europeans had gradually become more curious about ancient Egypt in the eighteenth century,” and it was Napoleon Bonaparte’s campaign into Egypt that sparked an obsession known as “Egyptomania” (18). Both the French and the British sought control of Egypt due to its connections to India and the Far East. Although the British and the French valued Egypt for its connections they also desired the treasures and artifacts hidden there. From 1798 to 1801, Napoleon’s savants, the scientists he brought with him, scoured the Egyptian landscape finding the remnants of forgotten temples and uncovering ancient relics.

Napoleon’s campaign created a craze in France for Egyptian themed architecture and arts, and the British were soon to follow. Egyptomania caused a cultural competition between the two nations. Fabrics were printed with “scenes of sphinxes guarding temples and obelisks covered in hieroglyphs,” sphinxes graced fountains, and Egyptian motifs found their way into literature (Parramore 20). Egypt was also associated with knowledge and learning at the time, which led to Egyptian themed libraries and universities (Parramore 19).

“She herself was merely a Sphinx without a secret.”

The Sphinx Without a Secret by Oscar Wilde

The allure of Egypt found its way into many facets of people’s lives. Egyptomania made its way into the physical environment, it showed itself in the arts, and was a craze that appealed to many people. In France, Egyptomania even altered burial customs and the way people viewed death. Burleigh describes this fascination by saying that “Europeans attached all sorts of inferences to [Egypt], viewing it variously as the primal seat of natural law, the remains of a golden age of civilization, and a repository of lost magical knowledge” (10). European collectors attached themselves to Egyptomania and from this “Londoners of all classes—some of whom were not yet welcome in museums—could spend the afternoon gazing at curious foreign objects in public pavilions and exhibitions venues” (Parramore 27). This common craze led to more than just cultural enlightenment, it led to…some pretty disturbing acts under the guise of entertainment. Showmen would unwrap mummies for the curious eyes of anyone interested in such a show.  Parramore refers to this as a “mummy striptease” and they were popular in England in the mid 1800’s (30). Some men even became famous for unwrapping and picking apart mummies which often led to the complete destruction of these once preserved bodies. Egyptomania was a cultural craze accessible to many whether it be the curious observer seeking knowledge or individuals who took advantage to fill their pockets.

The Victorian obsession with Egypt appears to stem from a fascination dating back to the Greeks and Romans who saw the Egyptians as a strange and foreign people. Parramore states that “ancient Egypt was absorbed into Roman culture to the point that most people forgot the source of the stories and architectural legacies that Rome had borrowed from its neighbor on the Nile” (5). But Egypt was known for more than its perceived “strangeness,” Egypt was a land of wisdom and ancient power. It was an intriguing location of philosophy and magic. The “intellectual stars” of the Renaissance “traveled to Egypt seeking enlightenment” (Parramore 9). Shakespeare was even influenced by the intrigue of ancient Egypt. His Cleopatra reflects the seductive notion of feminine Egypt.  By the Victorian age “the masses were more enthusiastic than ever” about Egypt’s secrets and “prominent public events fed the middle-class passion for ancient Egypt” (Parramore 32). It was around this time Percy Shelley and Horace Smith challenged each other, which resulted in Shelley’s poem “Ozymandias.”  Needless to say, Egypt’s appeal was long lasting.

The Sphinx in Video Games

In The Time Machine, the sphinx ultimately harkens back to the Greek tradition as it functions as riddler and monster. After I read this story, I started noticing the sphinx appearing everywhere, including in games. It’s inclusion in video games was curious, but I eventually saw how its reference fell into similar patterns.

EarthBound, RiME, Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2, Persona 5, Injustice 2, Assassin’s Creed Origins, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation, Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy, Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap, and Super Mario Odyssey are just a few of the video games that include sphinxes in some form. The sphinxes in these games serve as keepers of riddles, barriers, and monsters. They are noticeable and alluring, drawing players in.

When approached, the sphinx in EarthBound asks a question: “Are you a thief, warrior, or one who has come to see my majesty?” Starting with this question is a nod to the sphinx’s role as riddler. If players unlock the pattern puzzle in front of the sphinx, a pyramid opens up, leading players to inner chambers where they’ll have to face the Fierce Shattered Man and other enemies. The sphinx is part of the game’s environment while also holding the “key” to enter a pyramid. In Super Mario Odyssey, the sphynxes are similar. There are multiple sphynxes that ask questions like “What is this land?” and “What type of flower did the traveler offer the bride?” These sphynxes are also guardians of treasures and locations.

In Persona 5, the sphinx is more monstrous. Futaba’s mother, Wakaba Isshiki, is presented as a “cognition” of the mind. The sphinx (known as the Palace Monster) is large, can fly, and attacks by diving and slamming into Joker and the rest of the party. This monster is a worthy enemy, putting up quite the fight. For Futaba, the sphinx represents grief, guilt, and trauma because she feels responsible for her mother’s death. As the fight progresses, the player sees Futaba as she tries to discern which of her memories are true (was her mother cruel or loving) and whether she is at fault. When the Palace Monster says, “You killed me!” the rest of the party realizes what the monster represents.

Morgana says, “Futaba’s desires and guilt must’ve distorted her [Futaba’s] cognition of her [mother].”

Persona 5

The Palace Monster then says, “You [Futaba] are nothing but a demon who stood in my way! I wish you had never been born!” This sphinx is wicked, violent, and personal. While this mother-monster is an illusion created by Futaba’s guilt, in the moment, the monster is very real. By the end of the fight, the Palace Monster is defeated, and Futaba’s mother appears in ghost form. She no longer appears as a monster but has returned to her human self. Futaba expresses her love for her mother and players are left with the sense she has found some closure. This sphinx is overcome not with a riddle but by uncovering a false memory and processing the reality of a close relationship. (Thanks to A New Game Plus for helping me remember the details of this sphinx.)

In the video games I’ve played or watched, the sphinxes tend to be guardians and monsters. They hold secrets, present riddles, and offer passage to new locations. This is all very much in line with the sphinxes of antiquity. Sphinxes also offer striking imagery to video game environments. They’re recognizable and spark a sense of curiosity. For example, even if players don’t know anything about the Greek sphinx when playing through Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, they’ll still understand through context the creature has significance.

Protector. Guardian. Riddler. The sphinx is an archetype that persists despite the medium. From The Time Machine to Persona 5, this image–this creature–continues to hold meaning in its riddles and transformations. I don’t know about you, but I’m excited to see where this magnificent creature appears next.

Want to help me build a list of games with sphinxes? Please share any and all video games in the comments!

Sources:

[Written Texts]

• A Sphinx: https://allpoetry.com/A-Sphinx
• Uncle Silas: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/14851/14851-h/14851-h.htm
• The Sphinx Without a Secret: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/773/773-h/773-h.htm#page121
• Parramore, Lynn. Reading the Sphinx: Ancient Egypt in Nineteenth-Century Literary Culture. Palgrave Macmillan, 2008. Print.
• Wells, H. G. (1992). The Time Machine [eBook Edition]. The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Time Machine, by H. G. Wells
• Masks of Eternity. (1988, June 26) (Season 1, Episode 6) [TV series episode]. Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth. PBS.
• The Rare Book & Manuscript Library. (n.d.). The Time Machine. https://www.library.illinois.edu/rbx/hgwells2016/category/the-time-machine/
• “Archetype.” In Oxford English Dictionary online.
• Frye, Northrop. Anatomy of Criticism: Four Essays. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1957. Print.
• Harmon, William, and Hugh Holman. A Handbook to Literature. 11th ed. New Jersey: Pearson, 2009. Print.
• Campbell, Joseph. The Mythic Image. Princeton UP, 1990.
• Clark, Robert. Myth and Symbol in Ancient Egypt. Grove Press, Inc., 1960.
• “Egypt (Sphinx) Gallery” [Image]. Penn Museum. http://www.penn.museum/exhibitions/signature-galleries/egypt-sphinx-gallery
• Pinch, Geraldine. Egyptian Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Goddesses, and Traditions of Ancient Egypt. OUP, 2002.
• Apollodorus. “Laois and Oedipus.” (Book III). The Library of Greek Mythology. Translated by Robin Hard, Oxford: OUP, 1997.
• Hesiod. “Theogony.” Theogony and Works and Days. Translated by M. L. West, Oxford: OUP, 2008.
• Pinch, Geraldine. Egyptian Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Goddesses, and Traditions of Ancient Egypt. OUP, 2002.
• Sophocles. “Oedipus Rex.” The Theban Plays. Translated by Sir George Young, New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 2006.
• “Sphinx.” Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/sphinx

[Images]

• https://napoleon.lindahall.org/images/learn/devilliers.jpg
• https://napoleon.lindahall.org/images/learn/jollois.jpg
• https://napoleon.lindahall.org/images/institute/fourrier.jpg
• https://napoleon.lindahall.org/images/learn/luxor.jpg
• https://napoleon.lindahall.org/images/imagegallery/189001e.jpg
• https://napoleon.lindahall.org/images/learn/sphinx.jpg
• https://egyptianaemporium.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_1155-1.jpg
• https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/Thomas_Pettigrew_by_Skelton.jpg
• https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/Gaston_Maspero_demaillotage.jpeg
• https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/Great_Sphinx_of_Giza_May_2015.JPG
• https://www.pinterest.com/pin/cleopatra-look–20758848252717322/
• https://www.proxibid.com/Art-Antiques-Collectibles/Collectibles/Sphinx-mixture-tobacco-tin/lotInformation/43123952
• https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51Su5v4gAlL.AC.jpg
• https://movieposters.ha.com/itm/movie-posters/miscellaneous/carter-the-great-otis-litho-1923-one-sheet-2675-x-41-sweeps-the-secrets-of-the-sphinx-/a/7156-86388.s
• https://www.periodpaper.com/products/1903-ad-vintage-sphinx-ladies-cigarettes-cherub-cupid-tobacco-women-smoking-ysm2-236078-ysm2-005
• https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/437153
• Sphinx from RiME: https://youtu.be/VpqkJyveSKU
• Sphinx from AC: Origins: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/oct/05/assassins-creed-origins-recreated-ancient-egypt-ubisoft
• Sphinx from Persona 5: https://www.player.one/persona-5-4th-boss-fight-help-futaba-defeat-aerial-cognitive-wakaba-593011
• Sphinx from Earthbound: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvAhUYiPe7Y
• Sphinx from Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni99bP1hCjw

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In reflection of a year well spent, I present a very brief post of my top 10 favorite video games of 2017. I debated briefly whether to compile a list of “favorite” or “best” and ultimately decided that I’d rather share the joys of gaming than to necessarily debate the “best” games of 2017.

I hope you enjoy, and please feel free to share in the comments some of your favorite games of the year!

10. Everybody’s Golf

At the start of 2017, I never would have thought that a golfing game would end up on my list of favorites. But I guess there’s a first for everything. Everybody’s Golf offered some of the most fun I have had with a video game. It manages to find a balance between arcade and simulation while offering plenty in the way of singleplayer and multiplayer game play. The customization is amazing, the courses are challenging and fun, and playing with friends is a blast.

9. Emily is Away Too

I’m sure the inclusion of this indie on any end of the year list is a surprise, but to me, it was truly a gem. Emily is Away Too manages to capture the highs and lows of being a teenager in the 2000s while articulating a range of emotion. To dismiss this title as simply a “visual novel” is to deny the form its depth. The nostalgia-factor and experimental narrative easily earn it a spot here.

8. Sniper Elite 4

Hands down, Sniper Elite 4 is the most technical shooter I played this year (and the first I completed in the franchise). It offers an enjoyable campaign with a variety of levels/maps that leave plenty of room for challenge after the story is complete. The objectives and stealth are satisfying, a range of creative approaches may be applied to each scenario, and sniping Nazis never gets old.

7. Super Mario Odyssey

An infusion of new and old combine to make Super Mario Odyssey a joyous time stomping and possessing bad guys. It’s been a long time since I’ve really enjoyed a platformer, so this one released at a good time. Admittedly, I am nowhere near finishing the game.  I’m taking my time with it because 1) it feels like a sin to rush a Mario game and 2) I initially struggled with “getting” into it, and so I don’t want to diminish the magic. I’ve played enough to see how delightful this 3D Mario game is, and I look forward to diving in more fully over the winter break.

6. Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is a solid and addictive shooter. Sporting quality level design, fast gun-play, and an absurd yet engaging story, WII is everything I expected from the franchise and more. The cast of “good” guys and gals is lovable and the villains utterly despicable. Fighting Nazism within the emotional and thematic context the game creates leads to an exceptional first-person shooter experience.

5. Assassin’s Creed Origins

Assassin’s Creed Origins has successfully brought the franchise back onto the rails. Ubisoft notably raised the quality of the story, the game’s mechanics, and the world. With improved combat and a protagonist with a personality, the game held my attention long enough to platinum. While Black Flag holds a special place in my gaming heart, Origins represents one of the better open-world games that released this year.

4. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild brought me back to my childhood and entertained me for hours. While weak on urgency and narrative at times, the open world calls out for exploration. Around nearly every corner is something to be discovered or completed. The characters are crazy (in good ways), the combat is generally enjoyable, the music is fantastic, and the cooking is 10/10. Need I say more?

3. What Remains of Edith Finch

The experimental narrative elements at play in What Remains of Edith Finch deserve recognition. It is by no means a perfect project, but the way the game stretches and manipulates narrative results in both captivating sequences and gut-wrenching moments that won’t readily leave players. It has been aptly described as a roller coaster of emotions, but as much as the game makes you feel it makes you think. For me, part of the game’s beauty lies in what players can think and feel, what they can experience, in light of the game’s mechanical limitations (looking, walking, interacting with objects). When I reflected on the ways it challenges player expectations and expands narrative experiences offered by games, I couldn’t leave it off this list.

2. Horizon Zero Dawn

Despite some initial hesitation on my part, Horizon Zero Dawn quickly stole my heart. I was captivated by the fiery Aloy and by the lore of a world overrun by monstrous robots. Taking down the mechanical monsters was both exhilarating and satisfying, and the sense of urgency provided by the narrative kept me playing to answer the world’s questions. HZD offers much gaming goodness to RPG fans in terms of the densely-populated world, distinctive enemies, story, and characters–a genuine job well-done by Guerrilla Games.

1. Persona 5

Persona 5 takes the spot for favorite game of 2017 for several reasons, the most paramount being that Persona 5 is near perfect. Atlus took such care with this game, and it immediately shows. Everything (story, characterization, world, music, combat, etc.) down to the animations shows the passion that went into this game’s development. The only critique I can offer is that Persona 5 has a slight issue with pacing in the final quarter of the game. The game offers quality and quantity, humor and darkness. The thematic range coupled with the outstanding gameplay make Persona 5 a game I will be thinking and talking about for a long time.

Honorable Mentions:

• Uncharted: The Lost Legacy (Good. Solid. Just not incredibly spectacular)
• Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle (Unexpectedly enjoyable. Perhaps one of the better Mario games in recent years. I need to get back to this one.)
• Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice (Haven’t finished this yet. I’m finding it mentally draining and slow-going, but that’s the point, right?)
• Destiny 2 (Sports a story-driven campaign and the gun-play is fun.)
• Stardew Valley (Just kidding…But seriously, what do you do with a game that released on a new console, the Switch, and is just as awesome as it was the year before?)
• Star Wars Battlefront II (I know I’ll get slammed for liking this one. It’s certainly not perfect, but without the blasted micro-transactions and afk-farmers it’d be a 8/10 for me. It could have been great. Smh, EA..)

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Back in April, I purchased Persona 5—my entry into the franchise. I was excited about trying out the game for several reasons, including it being a JRPG, and was not disappointed during my first few weeks of play. However, it was still during the spring semester where I work and so I couldn’t devote much time to gaming. And then, a few weeks later, I managed to snatch up a Switch.

Persona 5 was left in the dust.

Ahem. So it’s nearly July, and it’s officially been awhile since I’ve heard Morgana’s sarcasm. With my summer perpetually filling up with pre-move plans, studying Old English (halp!), class prep, holiday get-togethers, and a bit of vacation time, I figured it was now or never. If I didn’t beat the game this summer the odds of me returning to it would be slim considering the game lineup this fall. I’m not sure what it is, but if I set a game down for any length of time, I’m at risk of moving on to something shinier. This can happen with decent and even good games. It’s rare, but it’s happened. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Anywho. So, with the extra encouragement of a friend playing the game for the first time, I returned to the ole PlayStation 4 and found myself a Phantom Thief on the verge of summer in Tokyo. Oh yeah, and I was quickly reminded that I couldn’t take a single screenshot, which is such a shame considering the art style. Atlus, please!

My first night back, I entered a palace and had a miserable time. I had forgotten enough that I died several times and became frustrated with the combat. The next day, things improved as my muscle memory kicked in, the controls seemed like second nature, and I reorganized my party. That’s when I was able to appreciate the sights, sounds, and actions of the game.

I breezed through the month and found a lot more free time in August with school being out. I rented every single DVD available, worked out, and socialized with Ryuji and Ann, but mostly Ann. The social and everyday aspect of the game has its charms and, thankfully, is relatively balanced. But, summer went by quickly and it was back to the pits. I mean, palace. Which is where I hit another slump.

Without getting into it too much, and not wanting to get into spoilers, I’ll just say that I’m finding Okumura’s Palace uninspiring. This might be especially true in light of Futaba’s Palace which I loved. It just seems bland and lifeless, and I’m finding it a grind to get through. Unfortunately, or fortunately, I will be away for a few days and so the palace’s completion will have to wait.

The lack of motivation and excitement I’m currently experiencing with the game sometimes happens with games that require many hours of playtime, but there is a difference between a game like Persona 5 and say The Witcher 3. If I ever got tired of the main story in W3, which I generally didn’t, or didn’t like where I was at in the game, I could simply go and do something else. Persona 5 isn’t that open, but that’s by nature. When you’re engaged with a palace, going out and renting a DVD or eating ramen with a buddy only goes so far to distract and revitalize. Maybe that’s just me though, eh?

Regardless, once I’m back home this weekend I will be tackling the game again. And none of what I just wrote is to say that the game is terrible by any means. I love much about it and see it ranking on my end of the year “Top 10” list.

Have you ever returned to a game after some time and found it difficult to enjoy?

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With the release of Persona 5, some players have taken issue with Atlus’ heavy handed approach to preventing spoilers. Atlus released a statement on 4/4/17 outlining a hard block of the game.

Of streaming and videos they state:

Simply put, we don’t want the experience to be spoiled for people who haven’t played the game. Our fans have waited years for the game to come out and we really want to make sure they can experience it fully as a totally new adventure.

The statement goes on to say:

Please, PLEASE do not post any specific plot points or story spoilers, and only talk about the game in broad strokes. (Good example: “The game deals with dark themes right off the bat, with a lecherous teacher and other corrupted individuals.” Bad example: “Players immediately run into trouble with the pervy teacher *spoiler*, whose actions go so far as to cause *spoiler*.”)

You can read the full statement here.

In addition to Atlus’ guidelines, the Share feature on the PlayStation was blocked for nearly the entire game (a few moments at the very start of the game can be captured). No screenshots. No videos. Atlus seems very concerned about the possibility that the game will be spoiled for players, especially so since Persona 5 is a single player game. I understand this to a point. However, if players seek spoilers, they’ll find them. If players want to see a game before making the decision to purchase, a common use of Twitch and YouTube, they will find a way.

Obviously, those points don’t really matter in the long-run. Just because people have always pirated games doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be illegal. Atlus has the right to impose a hard block.

The average player may not feel the impact of this decision as much as content creators. Streamers, YouTubers, and the like are not allowed to show video beyond the 7/7 in-game date. Some Twitch streamers have already defied this order (You can easily find these streamers. After all, they aren’t hiding!).

As some critics of the block have already pointed out, it is ironic that a game developer is acting in such a seemingly oppressive manner when the game itself deals with oppression as a primary theme.

I have conflicting thoughts about this. On one hand, like I said, it’s Atlus’ prerogative to make such a decision. And I do understand wanting to protect the player’s experience. Players should be able to play a game without spoilers. The flip side of this is that many spoilers can be avoided through careful use of the internet and social media. Do we really need a developer to prevent spoilers for us?

At the end of the day, the block isn’t the biggest issue in gaming right now. It’s an interesting topic, but I care more about the quality of the game. The block has done nothing to impact my perception of the game itself. I was a little bummed when I realized I couldn’t take screenshots because I am the queen of screenshots, perhaps not in terms of quality but in quantity. Seriously, I have a problem.

I don’t know what it is, but I like capturing in-game moments. I use screenshots for my writing, I sometimes share them with friends, and I occasionally revisit them just for the sake of it. Not being able to do so with Persona 5 bothers me a bit but not in a way that fundamentally impacts my playing of the game.

Admittedly, I’m a bit ignorant about what other games had or have hard blocks or partial blocks, but I am curious to know other thoughts and perspectives on this topic—and not just with Persona 5. Are such blocks problematic?

The post Persona 5: Sharing isn’t Caring? appeared first on Wedee.

After hearing all the hype for Persona 5, I was finding it hard to resist a purchase. I was unsuccessful in finding the game locally, apparently it’s popular or something, and instead decided to order it online. It arrived this past weekend, and I’ve been playing it in my free time since.Persona 5 is my first JRPG. That might be surprising, but my time gaming typically involves first-person shooters, survival games, and, mostly, Western RPGs. RPGs tend to rank among my favorite video games which probably contributed to my uncertainty when considering Persona 5. I knew it would be different and probably challenge my expectations, but that could be a good thing, right?

Fourteen hours in, I can say that I’m having a great time with the game. It is a unique experience—one that I’m happy not to have missed out on. I’ve been enjoying the art style, story, characters, social sim elements, and combat.

A few immediate differences I’ve noticed between Persona 5 and the RPGs I’m used to include a more linear story, party and turn-based combat, a dynamic protagonist, and vibrant characters. Oh! And there’s a non-cat cat!

I’ll have a lot more to say once I’m done with the game, but that will probably be awhile. I heard completing the game can take up to 80-100 hours, and that’s fine by me.

Now that I’m less concerned about disliking JRPGs, I’m open to recommendations. What other games/franchises should I look into?

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