Playing The House in Fata Morgana: Am I Weak-Willed?

I’m currently on Door 3 of the visual novel, The House in Fata Morgana. It’s a chilling game full of tragedies. Each door presents a different story, and I’m on the third story. The game’s writing is superb – it has some of the best stories I’ve read. I’ve read that the stories become even better later on in the story. I also appreciate the game’s music a lot.

The stories are gut-wrenching and dark. Door 1 and Door 2 were fine, but it was getting a bit painful to complete Door 3. I know that I will complete it eventually, but I had to stop for a break because I was already crying while playing the game and I just didn’t know if there would be a happy ending. I still don’t know – I haven’t gone back to the story yet. But I’m not confident that it will be a happy story. Then I thought, Am I weak-willed? Why is this difficult for me? Part of me wants a spoiler so that I can mentally prepare myself. I would feel relieved if I see something positive; if not, then at least it wouldn’t be a great shock.

Don’t get me wrong – I like books, games, and shows that can evoke great emotions out of you. Something that will make me cry, make my heart pound, or give me the chills. I’d say that House in Fata Morgana ticks off those boxes. If this sounds like your type of thing, I definitely recommend buying this game.

Still, I feel a little uneasy about returning to the game. But that’s a sign of good writing, I guess.

Anime Impressions: Ace Attorney

Ace Attorney is an amazing Nintendo DS game series. I’m currently finishing the first two games and have the third game of the trilogy at home. Last night, I found out that an anime exists and I watched some episodes.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Ace Attorney, usually a murder happens and a suspect is apprehended by the police. The main character is Phoenix Wright, a defense attorney, who has to convince the court that the suspect is innocent. He investigates the crime scene, interviews people and picks up clues. In the courtroom, he has to find contradictions in statements by different witnesses. Sometimes the real culprit is revealed at the start of the case, so the focus is on figuring out the motives behind the murder and how they did it.

Prior to watching it, I saw that its rating on My Anime List was not very good. It seemed like it wasn’t a very good anime so I didn’t have high expectations going into it. I watched some episodes in English sub and one episode in English dub. I usually only watch anime with English subtitles but the English voice actors did a good job! The 2016 anime covers the first two games in the trilogy and apparently another season is coming out this October 2018, which will cover the cases in the third game.

When I looked at the graphics, the first thing I noticed were Phoenix’s eyebrows.

They look over the top, right? Then I realized something. Oh wait, Phoenix’s eyebrows ARE like that in the game too! Even though he looks ridiculous here, that’s just how he looks and I like that the characters’ appearances stayed true to the game. Another thing that might create distance with watchers are the exaggerated facial expressions the characters make.

If you’ve played the games, you’ll know that this sort of face is nothing new. The game can get ridiculously funny a lot of the times. My point is: The anime is showcasing the kinds of things we see in the games. It’s mirroring the game well. I love that the game’s music is played during the trials.

There are minor changes in the anime, but the court scenes were faithful to the game’s events. The plot and cases were mostly the same, which I liked. Episode 13 strayed from the game’s plot because they added new content about Phoenix’s childhood with Miles and Larry but I don’t have any complaints. It was a really sweet episode and I loved it a lot! The game did not give as much focus on Phoenix’s relationship with Miles when they were little.

One case from each game were missing in the anime. They were the last case in the first game and first case in the second game. I’m not sure why they were left out, but it’s not a huge deal. You don’t need to be familiar with the games in order to enjoy the anime!!

My one complaint is that the cases don’t seem too hard in the anime. Trust me, the game can get pretty challenging. Phoenix in the game spends a lot of time travelling back and fourth to different places for his investigation in order to find clues to help his case. It is time-consuming and finding contradictions can get a little difficult. However, if Phoenix spent a lot of time on everything, then the anime would feel really long and boring. It’s not as fun if you’re not the one doing the work.

My final verdict: I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that I enjoyed this anime. I don’t agree with the poor ratings and this post is my defense. Of course, the game is far more superior. The anime does not even come close, but it is still enjoyable! The extra childhood scenes in episode 13 influenced this decision.

Catherine – HIGHLY Recommend this Game!

Don’t let the cover fool you, hahaha! I would say that the M rating is because of some blood, not so much because of nudity. I played this game in front of my parents. No big deal.

When the cutscenes are put together, it is exactly like an anime movie. They have all the cutscenes on YouTube in a couple of long videos so if you don’t plan on playing the game, I really encourage you to watch them!

The cutscenes/story of the game mean a lot to me. Vincent, the main character, is placed into a complicated life situation and he needs to resolve his problems. Whenever I am in a very low mood, I watch the cutscenes and I feel better afterwards. Why? One, my problems are not as bad as his. Two, he is a relatable and normal guy (and in the game, you are playing him). Vincent definitely has flaws, but he’s very likeable because he feels real. Three, he gets out of the mess. Every time I watch the cutscenes and play the game, I learn something about myself and about life.

I love how Vincent gets together with his friend group all the time after work. They meet at the regular bar and it’s a normal part of his day. In the bar you can order drinks, send text messages, play at the arcade, watch the news and talk to the other customers.

Now to the actual gameplay. You have to climb blocks. Sounds simple, right? Each night gets harder and you will be chased by something. My favourite monster was probably the giant baby with a chainsaw. That’s where the blood comes in! Initially, I thought I wouldn’t enjoy climbing blocks but it is actually a lot of fun!!! You have to constantly think of strategies while climbing.

It is challenging but you learn that in order to survive, you must continuously adapt to the situation. I think this is very important in real life too. A lot of the time, things don’t go our way but what we do have control over is our reaction to the situation. Plus, being chased by a monster that wants to kill you is quite thrilling. 😀

Completing a stage (especially if you win a Gold Prize) is IMMENSELY satisfying. I feel more happy about completing a stage than acing an exam LOL. Every time I complete a stage, I feel more confident about overcoming my own life situation and this will sound corny but completing a stage in the game is like practice for real life…

The soundtrack is AMAZING. Lamb Game between ♂ and ♀ is my favourite, but I love all the songs.

I’ve been in a happy mood for a long time now but if I am in a bad mood, I know that this game is there for me. I finished this game in about two weeks and I’ll play it on a harder level of difficulty next time! As you can see, I can’t stop raving about this game so yeah, play it. Or at least watch the cutscenes and enjoy the music. 😉