Skyrim

Several years ago I bought a game called Elder Scroll Series IV - Oblivion. You're probably wondering what that has to do with Skyrim. Well, everything. As it was shortly after that that I got me Skyrim. Simply because I really enjoyed Oblivion and Skyrim was a sort of sequel to it. To be honest, when I first installed Skyrim, I decided that I absolutely hate it. And so it was left in a drawer for years. Then, I gave the original copy to my cousin's son for when he got a good enough pc to play it on. But then I got into nightcore, which has, at first glance, even less to do with Skyrim than Oblivion. But, there was this nightcored song... The Dragonborn Comes. And I figured that it was from Skyrim. Which got me thinking.... That maybe it was time to give Skyrim another go. So I installed it through steam and started playing. 

At first, I got frustrated because it didn't support my gamepad. But then I decided that screw it, if I could successfully play Oblivion with mouse and keyboard as well as most of Assassin's Creed games, then I will be just fine playing Skyrim with mouse and keyboard. Though the first thing I did was to play with the keyboard mapping. Made it a bit closer to Oblivion - aka jump with E and action with spacebar. Admittedly, it is still slightly confusing, as the game shows me the original key mapping when it gives hints, but hey, I can manage! I did with Resident Evil 4 and there the key mapping is really ridiculous... 

So far, I'm not that far into the game, only just past High Hrotgar, but I'm enjoying it immensely. Though, there is one thing I really don't like! And that is that you can't equip spell alongside your bow! At least, I haven't figured that out yet! In Oblivion, you could equip whatever weapon you wanted to and still cast! That is something I miss here in Skyrim. But I guess we can't have it all...

Also, someone tell me how to disable the cinematic finishing blows in fight... Those are really annoying and interrupt the gameplay as well as disorient you as to where the next enemy is coming from... 

Oh, and the NPC names are crazy! I know it is trying to imitate the nordic tribes and so on and so forth, but come on! I've met a lot of characters a lot of times by now and the only names I remember are Ilireth (or something like that) and Alvar. At least Oblivion had normal names... Or maybe it is because I've simply been playing Oblivion longer. That's probably it. 

A question for those who also play Skyrim. Do you play with subs on? I mean, I can understand the characters just fine, but usually, I finish reading what they have to say before they finish saying it. Do any of you have the same problem? And is it even a problem? Well, it is in the situation where you can not just skip the speech. 

Anyway! I enjoy Skyrim and I hope that by the time I finish the quests I will be able to remember at least some of the names. 

And my favorite NPC's are from Oblivion. Too bad two out of three bit the dust...  

Before I finish this post, one more thing. DLC for Skyrim. Is it worth it? I would like this answered by someone who actually played the DLC. Not by someone who just read about it or something. Thanks! 

~AnnElfwind

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Well, I got my hands on the book just a short few days ago. I started reading it and managed to get through two or three acts before just stopping. To be honest, I just couldn't bring myself to continue reading. Normally, I always get into the books within the first one or two pages, but this time, I was just bored. It just didn't feel like Harry Potter anymore. And it had nothing to do with the play script format it is written in. I guess it's just the fact that I never acknowledged the epilogue. 

I consider Ginny to be a whore and I don't like her. I can't say I like Harry himself that much either, at least in canon. I rather like him in all those fanfics I've read. But that is mainly because those fics have slash pairings. 

I don't hate the books because they have heterosexual pairings, I don't hate the books at all, well, no, I don't hate them, but I don't really like book number 6. My favorite has always been book three and now we're getting off topic. 

So, back to the Cursed child. I'd rather not spoil much of the book, but there are two points that just make me hate the book even more and make me glad that I did not finish reading it. How do I know these two things? Well, for those of you who don't feel like reading the book, there is a condensed version on wikipedia. Well, I say condensed version, but it's really just a lengthy summary. But it has all the main points and after reading that I really don't have any need to read the actual book. 

Spoiler alert now. I mean it, I will be now mentioning things that happen in the book.

The first thing about the book that really didn't sit well with me is the fact that Voldemort had a daughter. With Bellatrix. Come on! Can it get any crazier than that? Add in the fact that I just can't imagine Voldemort having sex with a woman? And Dark lord or no dark lord, do you really think Rodolphus would have had given Bella such a long leash? I don't. 

Another point is time travel. During most of the book, the new generation, mainly Albus Severus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy travel back and forth in time to change things only to have it backfire on them over and over again. The whole thing about the ministry of magic squirreling away a time turner and having it hidden somewhere all this time is one thing. But the fact that the Malfoys had another one is really bogus. I don't buy it. It's the Malfoys we're talking about. Do you really thing they wouldn't use it for their gain? And if they had it all this time, I just can't imagine Voldemort not finding about it... 

Don't get me wrong, I like stories that have multiple timelines and interlock past present and future, but they have to be done right! One fine example would be Circle of Magic: Danger in the Palace from Debra Doyle and James D. Macdonald. Another fine example would be in movies. Look at X-men: Days of future past or the Alice through the looking glass movie. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child's time travel pales when compared with the before mentioned examples. Yes, the book I mentioned might not be really well known, but the time travel is done RIGHT in there! 

Damn it! I've seen fanfictions written better than the Cursed Child book! It might be because Rowling co-wrote it with two more people or simply because she lost her edge, but I would definitely not recommend reading this eighth book. But if you absolutely have to know what happens in it, I suggest the summary on wiki. It tells you everything you need to know and saves you time and money. 

There. Now you can bite my head of. But even if you do, it won't change my opinion on the matter, which to sum it up in just a few words is this: Ginny is a whore and Voldemort should have won.

Bye!

~AnnElfwind

Edit: Not Danger in the Palace, that's book four. The book that deals with time travel is book five. Not sure about the english name right now. Loose translation: The Wizard's Castle? Probably. It's Book five of the Circle of Magic series. Go read it, it's great!