Breath of the Wild’s Zelda does so much with so little. She’s integral to the plot and Link’s success, despite not having much agency at all. Sometimes a character simply trying to survive the constraints of their reality and do their best is more engaging than a stereotypical knightly hero.

Welcome to my first Narrative Thoughts! This series will explore some element of storytelling or characterization in a piece of media, often games, and what I liked or found interesting about it.

Yesterday Square Enix published the FINAL FANTASY XIV: Stormblood - a brief history of Doma page. The page includes a writeup of the history of the Doma, a Japanese-inspired setting introduced in the Stormblood expansion back when it was first released in 2017. It also includes a small Q&A with Lead Character Concept Artist Ayumi Namae about Yugiri’s design.

Emet-Selch is one of my favorite villains. He’s irreverent, unapologetic, tragically full of despair, and connects with you even in his final moments after your final fight with him in Shadowbringers. Solas is also one of my favorite companions-turned-villains, and Dragon Age: Dreadwolf is setting him up for a similarly epic and emotional fall. How Shadowbringers and Endwalker handle Emet-Selch’s story arc made him a fan favorite, and I hope BioWare takes notes in order to make Solas a more compelling villain in Dragon Age: Dreadwolf.

FFXIV isn’t constrained to the hero’s journey archetype, but starting a new era in the game means returning to a simpler, less epic story in scale for now. And what better way to do that than by focusing on the newest Scion, former Crystal Exarch, and beloved catboy G’raha Tia?

This guide will walk you through what Hunts are, how to unlock them, and how to use them to get more currencies for gear and weapons in Final Fantasy XIV.

I’m pleased to announce that my debut fantasy short story, “The Void Door”, has been published at Beneath Ceaseless Skies.