So maybe the good old days weren’t always good. Particularly when days would last forever…
Even back at the beginning of the medium, videogames have continually utilized a timer system and/or day and night cycle. Many older gamers remember the first time they had to wait for a guard to leave his post at sunset, or when they were alerted that it would soon be a horrible night to have a curse. Brave Fencer Musashi utilizes a similar system once you get past the first “level”, and managing your time in this kingdom is an integral part of your adventure.
But sometimes things get a little too complicated.
Musashi’s first real challenge was scaling a mountain and fighting a skull-insect. The good news about outdoor activities is that, while they might be more annoying in the dark, a mountainside is always open. Our second significant challenge is a dungeon that has been excavated from beneath a restaurant. This makes things more complicated, as the restaurant is only open during certain hours. What’s more, these hours are strictly tied to the evening, and if you stumble out of that dungeon poisoned and in need of healing, you are going to have to wait for daylight until you can purchase an energy refill. After you’ve been topped off… welp, looks like you must wait for nightfall again, because that restaurant closed when the sun came up. And, I’m sorry, immediately after you complete the bulk of this dungeon, you have to go to church at exactly 2 AM? Brave Fencer Musashi, what kind of layabout do you take me for? If I wanted to spend all my time twiddling my thumbs waiting for the next big event to occur, I wouldn’t be burning my time playing a videogame!
In Brave Fencer Musashi’s defense, a lot is done to mitigate the timing issue. Sleeping is integral to the quest, and managing Musashi’s “tired meter” is a requirement that gives you ample reasons to fast forward the clock as a natural part of gameplay. Additionally, the majority of “timed events” seem to occur in the town area, and that is a perfectly safe place to spend some time at the inn, or sleep in the nearby fountain. Maybe you could occupy your time being productive, too. Go find some minku poop or a hidden bincho diamond while you have some downtime. After all, what is the point in having a whole, big world to explore if you can’t traverse it while you are waiting for the local eatery to open again?
But waiting for a door to open at an exact time does get old fast when you are trying to make progress…
This would not be the case for practically every game released on the opposite side of the 21st Century. Already by the time of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Link was employing music to speed the sun along. When we hit the much more time-based Majora’s Mask, the Hero of Time practically had a top ten list of time controlling ditties. Future games of all shapes and sizes would employ similar “spells” when time was a factor, or even forgo any illusion of gameplay, and add fast travel-esque options to switch day and night. Need to see this town under the cover of darkness right now? It is only a menu click away!
But we do lose a certain something when we don’t have to wait. When controlling the very concept of time is as easy as changing your hero’s equipment, you don’t experience the same weakness in the face of an uncaring universe. Musashi is just a little dude in an unfamiliar world, and he is subject to the whims and capriciousness of waiting for the vambees to come out and play. He has to wait, and you, player, have to wait with him. It is a bonding experience for you and your digital avatar.
But it is definitely a situation where this player enjoys modern conveniences.
Even Worse Streams presents Brave Fencer Musashi
Night 3
Original Stream Night: August 23, 2022
Random Notes on the Stream:
- Please enjoy the names and addresses of all our loved ones as we start night three with BEAT, fanboymaster, and Jeanie.
- Gaze in amazement at hot, sleeping action!
- Ample Vigour stops by and provides an excellent Soda Popinski impression.
- Oh! I relay the story about how I couldn’t pronounce “Cruz” when I was 12. Still sad about that!
- Continuing our Meatloaf discussion from a previous night, we’re back to talking about Jim Steinman.
- As I complete the first section of this enormous dungeon, we discuss the stupidest ways to be racist (which is already pretty stupid).
Ajvark shows up as we’re talking about Adult Swim getting new management. And now we have a jujitsu weather report.- Let’s discuss the handsomeness of Ernest P. Worrell.
- “Musashi, move your sad, poisoned ass.”
- Caliscrub joins as Musashi takes another nap in the fountain.
- Yay! Block pushing puzzles!
- As Musashi absorbs spirits, it is revealed that ham cubes are my favorite part of salad bars. I apologize for nothing.
- “Somehow this dungeon has lasted 800 million years.”
- Sidenote: Caliscrub is not in a church right now. Musashi will be later.
- Would Steve Urkel be into crypto? Would Stefan Urquelle? … Oh, hey, we earned the double jump.
- Brave Fencer Musashi is supposed to be a time loop for the legendary treasures and Musashi. That is just like Square likes it.
- And we finally get the water scroll as we discuss Tekken and rollback.
“Don’t fuck with me, Square. Between this and the Spirits Within, that’s why you’re Enix now.” I hate carrying bells, and I don’t care who knows it.- Relic Keeper, our boss of the night, is a geek according to Musashi.
- We close with Pooch making an excellent joke at the expense of whooping and there it being.
Next time on Brave Fencer Musashi: The Battle at the Beach