Oh boy, where to even begin with this one?

Oblivion and I have an interesting history. I mentioned previously that I didn’t have much interest in the game. It never looked like something I’d enjoy, but a large part of that is because the game’s coverage really only showed it in first-person.

Me and first-person games don’t get along. It might be something to do with my depth perception, or maybe just that I like the disconnect of being someone else when I’m playing a game, and the Elder Scrolls games didn’t seem to do that. That, of course, was a mistaken impression on my part. Once my husband told me there was a third-person view, I was willing to give it a shot.

The world presented to us in Oblivion, which is the fourth installment of the Elder Scrolls series, is huge. The game takes place in Cyrodiil, a country divided into several smaller provinces. Each province has its own stories, its own citizens, its own problems. And the world is developed so well that it’s easy to get lost in the lore.

The game offers a grand number of ruins, caverns and castles to explore, some tied to the numerous storylines that pepper the world, others nothing more than… well, a cave. But each character you encounter can teach you a little more about the world you’re playing in, and if you’re really lucky, you might stumble across a book.

Books, in a game. Real books! Books about the world’s history, books about armoring, multi-volume encyclopedias of the world’s flora and fauna. Not only that, but there’s a wide variety of fiction to choose from, as well. I couldn’t tell you how many hours I spent in that game, reading books that later found a permanent home on a bookshelf in my virtual house.

The Elder Scrolls games are well written and well developed, so that the visuals are matched by the grand storytelling that happens throughout. The world is vibrant, it feels like it could exist without you. And that’s an amazing thing. You aren’t in control of the situation, not really; You’re along for a very interesting ride, and that’s a wonderful example of what storytelling should be like.

In all honesty, Oblivion quickly became one of my favorite games of all time. Much of the world created by Bethesda shows me a reflection of the worlds I’ve created, but best of all, it gives me a great example of how to create a world right.

Whenever my fantasy novels are complete, I can only hope they live up to the kind of vision Oblivion has helped develop in my head.

Last week: The Legend of Zelda
Next week: Legend of Mana

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This week, we begin the transition away from books and delve into something else near and dear to my heart: Video games.

I grew up with an NES in the house, and with that, the gold cartridge that any gamer worth their salt knows all about.

There’s something special about Zelda games, see – Not just that the first wave of cartridges (and then later, CDs) released come in gold. Zelda was my first foray into a massive, immersive and interactive world.

With the exception of the latest release (I’m sorry, Skyward Sword, I just can’t love you) I’ve spent countless hours enjoying being drawn into the world of Hyrule again and again. The story itself is straightforward, but each game approaches the same story from a slightly different angle. Time, too, is of an extreme importance to the series. All of the later games feature puzzles where time itself must be manipulated to solve them.

There is, of course, the small problem of the major time paradox created in Ocarina of Time, but it can be forgiven, since the game was otherwise just so darn good.

You see, Zelda does something I love, but you never see in books: Every game features the same cast of characters. There’s always Link, who always has to rescue Zelda. There’s a persistent bad guy, Ganon, who comes back time after time to try the same scheme. And yet, for all that the same characters are used, the story plays out differently in each setting.

And why can’t authors re-use beloved characters? Why is it so unheard of in literature? Among roleplayers, it’s not uncommon at all to take a favorite character and re-outfit them to fit into another world, another story, another version of themselves. Comic books delve into this, as well – We call it an Alternate Universe storyline. This particular type of story is almost unheard of in books, but for what reason?

I’d love to try it, someday. Take one of my characters from one story and give them a cameo in another, in a completely different setting. I don’t think I could write them as the main character, but wouldn’t that be something?
Of course, it won’t be happening any time soon. I have too many other stories to write, first.

Last week: My Neighbor Totoro
Next week: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

This week, we’re taking a look at one of my favorite movies: My Neighbor Totoro.

Hayao Miyazaki’s movies often receive a lot of praise, and not without good reason. They’re excellent films that appeal to a broad audience. With Disney’s updated releases of a number of them, the fanbase only continues to grow.

Of course, when I first saw Totoro, it was back when VHS tapes were a thing. The movie was enchanting and endearing, presenting a sweet tale of the way children cope with troubling times.

It’s a film that blurs the lines of fantasy and reality, something I’ve always enjoyed doing, but it does it while keeping the message easy to understand and child-friendly for those who watch as a family.

It’s hard to say whether the Totoros, soot sprites or cat bus are real or just the imagination of two lonely girls, but the subtle hints that all of them might exist is what really creates a lot of the charm. Growing up, my mother always gave us reason to believe in gnomes and fairies, so seeing the same sort of whimsy presented with Asian flair is sure to do nothing but delight.

Last week: Dragonriders of Pern
Next week: The Legend of Zelda