The Sunday Papers | Rock Paper Shotgun

Sundays are for watching The Undertaker throw Mankind off the top of the Hell In A Cell. Before you wince, let’s read this week’s best writing about games (and game related things).

Over on Bullet Points, Yussef Cole looks at Elden Ring from a religious perspective. Spoiler territory from the start! Not only is it a look at the game’s theology but it’s a quick examination of where you, a tarnished dude with a honkin greatsword, stands amongst it all.

The surface promise of Elden Ring, and most of FromSoftware’s Dark Souls-adjacent games is that even the small and unworthy might, through sheer stubbornness, be let into the saintly gates along with the powerful. It mirrors the narrative of most religions: though God is Great and sainthood unattainable, even the lowest among us can be saved, if we were but to surrender our will and our futures in service of Him. And like other Souls games, Elden Ring allows players to question their place in this narrative.

For VG247, Alan Wen wrote about Ghostwire: Tokyo and its authentic representation making a mockery of Ghost Of Tsushima and Sifu’s cultural tourism. In classic Edders fashion, it reminds me of Nioh being super authentic in its depiction of Yokai, their descriptions, and through its small gameplay quirks. You should read Matthew’s Ghostwire Tokyo review if you’ve got an extra few mins as he says much of its authentic character is hidden under “the more artificial climbing frame they’ve used it for”. Also! Liam’s got a Tokyo walking tour if you’d like to chill for a bit.

These collectibles and descriptions even extend to the seemingly mundane; descriptions may explain the popularity of a certain model supercar, why some magazines throw in fashionable handbags as a bonus item, or give you lore about your favourite Japanese snacks as you wolf them down and regain health. Perhaps one of the game’s most wry observations is the prevalent use of plastic bags in Japan, even when carrying a single item.

On The Washington Post, Michelle Ye Hee Lee and Julia Mio Inuma wrote a quick piece about Shoji Morimoto, a Japanese man who’s paid to do nothing. Not a new thing by any means, but I find the idea of paying for a stranger fascinating. It’s touching, sometimes quite sad, and often liberating.

One woman hired him to accompany her as she filed her divorce papers. He once sat with a client for a hemorrhoid surgery consultation — with plenty of graphic photos. Someone hired him for a dramatic farewell as they boarded a bullet train to move from Tokyo to Osaka; he showed up and waved goodbye.

Our Liam tries to answer the question: What would a Resident Evil 4 remake even look like? I’m no Resident Evil aficionado, but I found it an informative and exciting watch!

Music this week is Wretch 32 and Avelino’s Fire In The Booth freestyles way back in 2017. If you’re curious about the Street Fighter “Perfect!” noises, that’s because they’re performing to former Radio 1 DJ Charlie Sloth who’s incredibly – annoyingly – trigger happy with his sound bites. Here’s the YouTube link – it’s not on Spotify unfortunately. Unreal performances, especially Wretch’s.

That’s me folks, until next time!