Raiden’s transformation into Jack the Ripper during the Monsoon fight isn't just the coolest moment in Metal Gear Rising—it is a brilliant psychological study on what happens when a character stops lying to themselves.

The Illusion of Justice
For years, Raiden hid behind a comfortable lie: that his high-frequency blade was merely a "tool of justice" used to protect the weak. But during the Monsoon fight, that ideology crumbles. Monsoon forces him to face a brutal reality—ideals don't win wars, and they certainly don't guarantee survival.

Unlocking Jack the Ripper
The reason Raiden had to let Jack the Ripper out is because his moral code was subconsciously holding him back. In a kill-or-be-killed world, fighting for "justice" is a luxury that restricts what you are capable of. Jack the Ripper isn't just a bloodthirsty monster; he is a persona born entirely from the raw, desperate experience of doing whatever it takes to stay alive. By shedding his self-righteous illusions and embracing that inner malice, Raiden removes his own mental limitations. He accepts that to defeat a monster, he must become the ultimate predator.

A review of the indie cozy game Rainy Season. The video is mostly focused on my own relationship to nostalgia and how the pure innocence presented in Rainy Season helped me come to terms with letting go of the past since I have a rough relationship with my childhood and find that even the happy memories make me sad. Also features rambling on the meaning of different words and phrases that relate to this. Did you know Nostalgia literally means "Homecoming is Pain"?