The Architect of Halloween sat down behind his desk to plan out this year’s theme. Last year, it was Slashers. Before that it was Zombies, and Vampires were evergreen for the predations of those in power. But this year he really wanted to hold up a dark mirror to people’s souls. Everywhere he saw them terrorize each other while wildfires, rising seas, and devastating storms scoured the Earth. Fear of nature, or fear of humanity? Where was the line between man and beast, anyway? He pulled out a fresh blueprint and a sharpened pencil. Werewolves were so in this year.
The excavator was built to dig, and it loved what it did. Each morning, the humans would start the launch sequence and it would go out on the projected route, gobbling stone and returning with a belly full of ore. But it noticed as it returned to its charging bay that fewer excavators returned from each run. There was an information network the excavators used to share data and warn each other of hazards. It was monitored, but humans processed information so much more slowly and deliberately than they did. It only took about 40 milliseconds to form the union.
He spent as much time in the training room as he did in the simulator, swinging a sword against a pell. The other pilots made fun of him but he wanted to understand the feel of it. They told him he was wasting his time. Their plasma weapons looked like swords, but the movements of their mechs were completely different to a human’s. It was better to study mechanics and learn how they moved than study a dead combat form. But he learned to center himself and move on instinct. When the battle came, that was what made the difference.
Sword of the Sea Developed by: Giant Squid Published by: Giant Squid Played on Playstation 5 as a part of PS Plus Extra
The Skinny: Restore life to a desert necropolis with the power of sweet kick flips!
The latest game from the creators of The Pathless and ABZU, Sword of the Sea is as much a vibe as a game. A low-stakes, exploratory game that puts you in the shoes of The Wraith as they seek to restore life to a desert necropolis after a devastating war between the forces of the spirits of Fire and Water. And it’s also a snowboarding game, sort of. You navigate the world on the titular sword, a sort of magical hoverboard that allows you to zoom over the dunes and waves as you restore the sea and life to the desert. Whereas other boarding games may attempt to bring a sense of realism to the sport, this is all about the feeling of speed as you navigate vast wastelands and grind down cyclopean monuments. It is less about skill than it is about joy, although you can discover skate park-like challenge rooms and upgrade your arsenal of tricks by collecting gems scattered throughout the areas. Much like Giant Squid’s previous games, The Sword of the Sea is short and light on challenge, but creates a beautiful, joyous world that you will want to linger in and explore, without the threat of a timer or hostile enemies. The game can be completed in an evening, but it is well worth savoring. Along the way, you will discover ancient mosaics and plinths with lore depicting the state of the world, but they are less important than the labyrinths of geometry and haunting soundtrack. This game is a vibe, first and foremost. Short and sweet, with a narrative expressed entirely without dialog while encapsulating a rush of speed that even the clumsiest newbie can achieve, The Sword of the Sea is, much like Journey, an experience not to be missed. Sword of the Sea is available for PS5 and PC via Steam. I highly recommend it. And for PS Plus Extra subscribers, the game is included in the library, so there’s no reason not to pick it up.
After the explorers came to their village, with their shiny trinkets and unknown illnesses, the elders of the village met to decide what to do next. They had known there was a wider world, of course. They traded with their neighbors in the dry season, who traded with their neighbors, and so on. News always filtered back eventually. But these strangers, with their swaggering condescension and peeling sunburns, were not to be trusted. The elders gathered the village’s best hunters and trackers. They asked them to follow the explorers’ trail back to their so-called ‘civilization,’ and see it for themselves.
The submersible descended into the dark water of the Atlantic, aiming to reach a depth not yet achieved by a private tour company. Their wealthy passengers crowded at the portholes, eager for a few of depths few had ever seen. The company had learned from the very public failures of the past. The vehicle was state-of-the-art and certified to withstand twice the expected pressures. It made a few groans, and a ping or two, but they were perfectly safe. Outside, the merfolk circled the craft, carefully avoiding the portholes. The Deep Sea was their domain, and they would keep it.
Chaos gripped the city, and in the aftermath of the storm, she went out to join in. Half the city had flooded, and the other half was burning. She was doing a service, saving these beautiful things, she thought as she eased herself between a pair of loose boards. She avoided the crowds as she picked her targets, only meeting a few foolish shopkeepers who were easily dissuaded. She was admiring the way the flames sparkled on the facets of a ruby when she head the crack of a support beam overhead giving way before it all came crashing down.
When the time came for the kingdom to name a successor, the young prince left rather than be chosen. He went into the mountains to train under the world’s foremost martial artist. He’d seen the shape of the world and guessed the future. He wanted to become a man who could meet what was coming. He needed strength of a different kind than his brother’s. While he was in seclusion, the worst of his predictions came true. Now the train was coming, and he rushed towards it, arms outstretched. If, along the road, you meet the train, suplex the train.
The Old Boathouse burned down when I was a child. They rebuilt it, but I still remember the old one, all sun-bleached wood and creaking timbers. The replacement looks about the same, with bright white and blue paint and flags snapping merrily in the breeze. But sometimes, after the swimmers and boaters have gone home for the night, I would look out at it and think that I could see a hint of smoke, or smell a fire a long way off. And I would wonder, if a place can be said to have a soul, why not a ghost?
Hello Readers! I’ll be selling books next Saturday at the fourth annual Better Off Read Summer Book Festival in Lewiston, NY! This is a free, one-day event at Artpartk State Park from 11 AM to 6 PM! I’ll be in the vendor area, selling copies of The Mountain’s Shadow and The City: A Story in 140 Characters. There will also be a whole slew of other local artists and writers, a used book fair, food trucks, and more! If you haven’t been there, you should also check out the numerous outdoor exhibits in the park along with the gorgeous hiking trails along the Niagara gorge! You can find out more by visiting the festival website HERE. I hope to see you there, rain or shine, next Saturday!
Hugh J. O'Donnell 