Mudra Roy (Wallflower)
Mudra Roy gaming, photo courtesy of the subject
At what age did you start gaming and what’s your first gaming memory?
Ever since I could make sense of things, gaming has always been there. I remember when I was 4 years old, my father got us one of those local gaming consoles. It had two controllers and a replica gun. I used to play a lot of Mario but my favorite was using the gun to play Duck Hunt!
Which systems do you remember playing on and what games did you play the most?
Apart from the old school console, I remember playing Tetris on a handheld device. It used be called Brick Game. Later on my dad bought a PC and we played a lot of DOS games on it like Duke Nukem and Tomb Raider (1996).
Finally came the age of Windows and my PC gaming journey began. My favourite game back then was Claw. It was a 2D side scroller platformer. I grew up playing action adventure single-player games, my favourites being the Tomb Raider series, Hitman series, Prince of Persia series, Grand Theft Auto, Max Payne 1 and 2 , and Half-Life. Whenever a game released from any of these series, my sister and I used to get it immediately. In some extreme cases we had to convince our Dad to buy us a graphics card, just so we could run Tomb Raider: Legend on our PC .
By 2011 my PC had become old and could not run any of the latest games . At the same time I got addicted to Tekken 5, which I used to play on my cousin’s PS2 . A few months later I decided to get a PS3 for myself and from there on started my console journey! I also started playing a lot of FPS games at that time like Crysis, Far Cry 3 and Call of Duty.
Before I had played a few games on PSP , but the amazing PlayStation exclusives awed me . After 2012 I started playing games like crazy! I fell in love with exclusive series like God of War, Uncharted, Red Dead Redemption and used to play new games on the PS3 itself . My multiplayer experience was limited to Tekken 6 and it gave me joy!
In 2016 I bought a PS4 and continued life as a console gamer. I met beautiful games like The Witcher 3, Horizon Zero Dawn, Bloodborne, and Spider-Man. I loved the combat of HZD and even today I love revisiting that game from time to time!
In 2018 I finally bought a high-end laptop and got back into the PC gaming race! Currently I’m loving Dark Souls 3 and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
Which platforms are you currently using?
PC and PS4
What game do you know or like the best?
It’s very difficult for me to choose one but I think I’ve spent most hours on Horizon Zero Dawn. I played it on the PS4 in 2017 but it was recently released for PC.
What are your top 10 insights, tips, information and/or tid-bits on the game you listed above?
1) This game has one of the best photo modes! You can customize the time of day , make your character do poses and take beautiful screenshots amidst the mesmerizing environment!
2) Even though the T. rex-like machine enemy “Thunderjaw” looks the most frightening and difficult to beat, it is actually very simple to knock down if you play tactfully! Using tripwires and shock traps, try to knock down its weapons and lasers as fast as you can. Make sure to use its own fallen weapons against it .
3) Ashly Burch, the voice behind the famous Chloe Frazer from Life is Strange and Tiny Tina from Borderlands, is the voice actor of main protagonist Aloy in this game.
4) With so many skills in Horizon Zero Dawn, it can be difficult to know where to start. “Silent Strike,” “Critical Hit,” and “Concentration” are the best to go for in the beginning!
5) If you ever miss it out, there’s an “Unlimited Fast Travel Backpack.” This is super helpful since the map is huge and fast travel is a blessing! Talk to any normal vendor and it should be at the bottom of the materials list.
6) Every time you buy a weapon there is a tutorial for that weapon that gives you a few thousand bonus XP for completing it. It’s super easy to miss out on because you have to manually select the quest the moment it appears , after you buy the weapon.
7) Fire arrow is your best friend! Super useful against corrupted machines, it is also helpful for inflicting prolonged damaged to the metal framework of any machine! Also, all human enemies are very vulnerable to fire, so practically all those encounters can be solved by fire arrows as well.
8) Cauldrons are special dungeons in Horizon Zero Dawn. Even though they are optional in the main plot , clearing a Cauldron rewards you handsomely and gives you the ability to override machines . This gives you a great advantage while doing main missions and side errands . If you are able to override dangerous enemies like Rockbreaker or Ravagers, they will prove to be good allies in battles with enemies as well as machines!
9) Always read up on your metal enemy before engaging them, especially the dangerous ones! Every machine has its own set of strengths and weaknesses, and it will help you win the fight faster – and smarter – if you know how to tip the scales to your side .
10) Scattered around the huge game world are Power Cells, which you'll need to unlock the secret set of armor, called the Shield Weave armor. This grants near-invincibility to Aloy and completely changes the way you can play the game. The locations are difficult to find and you’ll really need to explore the map if you want to get them, or you can just Google :P
(Image courtesy of Horizon Zero Dawn)
Could you share a bit about your life, hobbies and/or work outside of gaming?
I’m 24 years old and I’m currently pursuing to be a 3D Character Artist for video games.
I graduated in 2019 and took up a course in 3D modeling.
I’m also a cosplayer and I’ve been cosplaying for almost 4 years now. I’ve won three competitions and judged cosplay events as well.
I started live streaming video games last year, but lately I’m taking it casually since I want to focus on my career .
I’m also a violinist and an amateur singer. Sketching and swimming are my favorite hobbies!
What advice would you give to young gameHERs out there and/or to your younger gameHER self?
Don’t let the society tell you what you can or can’t play. As girls , we receive a lot of sexist comments from male gamers as well as discouragements. It’s definitely not easy when you constantly get judged for doing something you love.
My advice would be to just ignore the haters and be yourself. Some will be jerks, but some will eventually accept you for who you are, and that is a gamer.
It might feel frustrating when you get stuck in a game or you aren’t performing well . It’s totally okay and even pro players have bad days. Just keep motivating yourself, clutch onto your love for gaming and you’ll ultimately get there!
Name and/or gamertag or gamer name and country:
Mudra Roy aka “Wallflower” from India
Follow Mudra Roy on social media:
Instagram: @thewallflower96
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewallflow3r/
Check out her YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/Wallflow3r
Mudra Roy cosplaying Katana from Suicide Squad, photo courtesy of the subject
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