What Have I Become?

Recently, I started up a new game of The Cave.

As the beautiful, hilarious introduction ended and after I took the time to read through the descriptions of my playable cast of characters, I had no idea what to do next.

Indeed, the game had already started and I was none the wiser. I opened up the in-game manual and the controls were simple enough but what the heck? "X" did not start my game?!

What sort of shenanigans was this?!

I reached for my phone to see if there was something wrong with me because the Internet has made it so easy to just find a walk through to solve all your problems and hide any and all embarrassment (well, there is that thing called personal shame but...yeah, no one has to know).

Flash back to last year.

I bought a copy of the Jak & Daxter HD collection because I had to replay that greatness and capture a piece of my youth again. I loved the series so much, so why not?

Memories are a funny thing. 

Or maybe, somehow, I've just grown a little bit dimmer as the years have gone on and my skill which one would think should increase as time goes, actually got dull.

I played through the first Jak & Daxter (the one that still had Daxter in the title. Psh - no respect for you Daxter. How horrible of them!) and I adored it. I absolutely loved it this time around. I remember when I played it back at its release, I was so blown away by parts 2 and 3 of the series while I always thought Part 1 was just okay.

At its HD release though? I collected every trophy (not a hard task by any means) and genuinely had a fascinating, fun time.

Given that, I booted up the 2nd game (my favourite back in the day) eager to feel that excitement again. "It's going to be amazeballs!", I thought to myself.

It was anything but.

Controlling the hover devices were a lot harder than I recall. And I died a lot more than I remember. And how THE HELL did I manage to do all those blue ring challenges when I was younger? The game suddenly seemed near impossible! In fact, I stopped playing and have yet to go back.

What happened to me?

Who am I?!

With that I bring you back to The Cave.

I figured out what to do and was happily listening to the funny tale while plowing through my game, until I came to the part where I was supposed to throw a hot dog on a spike.

For the life of me, I could not figure out how to throw something.

Umm, what?

Maybe I want to excuse myself and blame it on recent real world stress in my life.

Or maybe I am shamefully admitting that I am no longer the sharpest tool in the shed.

Hi, my name is Zarnyx. 

And yep, I'm a rubber mallet.

And you are?

"What Have I Become?' originally appeared on Zarnyx.kinja.com on April 1, 2013.