JohnnyBGamer

Let’s Play – Rakuen

What was it about?

Down the street, there exists a hospital in which a boy lives. This particular boy has been living here for quite sometime. He spends his days exploring the hospital, checking in on fellow patients, and delving into the dark recesses that no one dares to tread. His mom often comes to visit. And when she visits, they read their special book together, Rakuen.

One day they decide to take a trip into Rakuen. What will they discover along the way?

What I loved

The music. Rakuen‘s score is beautiful. While a few tracks loop per level, at no time does it over stay its welcome. It’s chill.

What I didn’t like at all

Everything else.

The story and the individual characters are held back by a game that does not embrace the video game medium. Instead of focusing on Rakuen’s strength, which is its story, the game focuses on needless puzzles mixed with random fetch quests. Puzzles are the main culprit though, that feel like they are there just to frustrate. I found myself wanting to progress with the games story only to find myself stuck, checking a walkthrough.

What got me thinking

Oftentimes, we can think that something is amazing only to find out that someone else didn’t have the same experience. Art is subjective; video games are subjective too. Rakuen wanted to be meaningful, heart-felt even, but fell flat due to the way the game chose to tell its story. At times, it felt less like a fully realized game and more like an early student project that needed more feedback and playtesting.

I feel bad for not liking Rakuen. It’s the first game Josh recommended.

At the same time though, I figure I can experience my own Rakuen in a decade or two.

Hollow Knight: Silksong – Sea of Sorrow Teaser Trailer

Hollow Knight: Silksong is a game that I love but will never finish.

The atmosphere, artwork, and overall vibes are perfection. The game demands that you git good. Real good.

Somewhere over 10 hours in, I just thought, I’m done. I’ve experienced enough of Silksong to know that this game is a masterpiece I will never complete. I’m good with that.

But, I can admire the game from a distance.

And I can even be excited over the upcoming expansion.

Press Start: Rakuen

Joshua, over at KeepThinking, emailed me recently with the idea of doing a “try this game”, where we each choose a game for the other to play and then write about the experience. I thought the idea sounded good and immediately emailed Josh back, “I’m in!”

The game Joshua picked for me to play is called Rakuen. This is a game that I’ve been aware of but have never dug any deeper. However, Rakuen looks to scratch my love of indie games, pixelated graphics, and a primary focus on story. (The game I picked for Joshua was Abzu, which he wrote about here.)

As I journey through the world of Rakuen (I am a more than a few hours in), I’m keeping the following questions in the back of my mind:

What was Rakuen about?
What did you enjoy about Rakuen?
What was frustrating to you?
What did it get you thinking about?
Would you recommend Rakuen to someone else? Why or why not?

I will probably finish Rakuen towards the end of the month. Want to play with me? Get the game (PC & Switch) and dive in!

Faith, Pixels, and the Silence Between

There was a time when I wrote often—about faith, life, and video games. It was a passion, a calling even. But somewhere along the way, that passion faded.

Not my faith. That remained, deepened even. I became a Sunday school teacher, a deacon. I poured myself into people, into service.

And life? It didn’t stop—it got more complex. Looking back, my dream of blending Christianity and gaming feels a bit naïve now. I wanted to carve out a space where both could coexist, where thoughtful engagement could thrive. But the digital landscape shifted. Sites came and went. The world moved on.

Still, I game.

I run from robots, shoot Nazis, battle dragons. The adventures continue. I just don’t write about them anymore.

Now, in 2025—nearly 23 years since JohnnyBGamer began—I find myself wondering about its original mission. The internet has evolved beyond anything we imagined: streamers, influencers, endless video. Simplicity gave way to spectacle.

And yet, the heart of it all—faith, story, play—still matters. Maybe it’s time to rediscover what that looks like today?

Silence and Hope

What happens when a blog goes silent for nine months?

Whispers start.

Did he close up shop?
Did the words not flow / the cistern ran dry?
Or did life just get too loud?

And if you caught my last few posts, you might have even wondered: Is Bryan doing alright?

In my absence, my family and I have discovered healing. Healing that can only come from plugging into a local body of believers. Sitting / soaking under solid teachers who exemplify what a healthy church looks like.

Together, we have made a conscious decision: we aren’t going to stay stuck in the past. That is not to say that I do not have days where the past suddenly comes back with a vengeance. But I am choosing not to hold on to it. To let God speak in those moments. Realizing that yes, there is past hurt but there is so much more hope in the present.

I am doing good.

Still reading the Bible and other books.

Still playing the video games.

Thankful that my family and I discovered Mobberly Baptist Church. Where we became members this past Sunday!

P.S. You should also check out Pastor Andrew.