It’s murderously hot these days. The weather is so blistering that Pennywise’s infamous quip, "People are dying out there!" feels less like a line and more like a weather forecast. With the Earth practically self-sterilizing in a giant boiling pot, I’m starting to wonder if we’re being rude by simply existing. Since this is the peak holiday season, there are plenty of people out and about—my only hope is that the temperatures drop, even just a little.

In this kind of heat, staying indoors with AC is the only sane choice, but that’s useless if you’re dragged outside. A parasol is merely a piece of basic leather armour against instant heatstroke, and those portable fans are nothing more than heat-exchanging demons blowing exhaust air in your face. If you trip on the pavement, you’ll feel less like a person and more like calamari being grilled. So, let’s dream of cool, refreshing gaming powers. I’d trade anything to banish this hellish heat.

Kula Diamond, the ice maiden who has graced the series since 'KOF 2000'. While most of the character's skills are frost-based, in this inhuman heat, the one I crave most is the basic throw 'Ice Coffin'. It freezes the opponent solid in an instant—looking at it now, I can’t help but envy them: "How refreshing would it be inside that block of ice?"

You might worry about suffocating inside the ice, but it only lasts a few seconds, so you’ll be fine. It deals damage, sure, but outside of KOF 2000 when Kula Diamond was a mid-boss, it’s quite manageable. Honestly, standing outside in this heatwave might deal more damage than getting hit by that move. I’d love to tag along with Kula Diamond and beg for a quick freeze.

Tychus Findlay met a tragic end in 'StarCraft 2'. While it’s heart-breaking to see the legendary veteran praised one moment and discarded the next, looking back, the character's life is actually quite enviable. After helping Raynor escape, the punishment Tychus Findlay received was a 'life-long cryo-freeze'. It’s essentially being stored like a slab of pork in the back of a freezer—and honestly? I’m jealous! In this heat, being frozen solid sounds like a dream! It’s beyond air conditioning; it’s total sub-zero bliss!

Sure, a life without freedom is tedious, but Tychus Findlay eventually gained it through a deal with Arcturus Mengsk! Plus, the signature CMC Power Suit comes with automatic climate control, self-cleaning, and waste disposal—it’s packed with convenience. I bet it even has Level 5 autonomous walking. If I had that, commuting would be a breeze! Or, well, I wouldn't need to go to work or school at all. Either way, I want to be Tychus Findlay.

If I were to keep a pet in this heat, I’d want something cool. Forget those cold-blooded creatures that wilt in the sun; a frost-wielding beast like Velkhana from 'Monster Hunter World: Iceborne' is exactly what we need. With its sub-zero breath and the ability to turn air into ice crystals mid-flight, it’s a living ice-maker. It even acts as a dehumidifier, lowering the humidity by freezing the air.

Add in 'Absolute Zero', which blasts frost everywhere, and you wouldn't need AC even outdoors. Unlike other fur-covered Elder Dragons, Velkhana is covered in scales and ice, so even those who hate shedding animals would approve. If you somehow perish from the heat, you can even craft the EX Rimeguard armor set with the 'Frostcraft' effect from the carcass (;;). It’s an animal that stays useful even after it’s gone, keeping your weapons perpetually chilled.

Overwatch’s 'Mei' is permanently kitted out in heavy, thick layers. That might make sense in Nepal or Antarctica, but in the 33-degree hell of Busan today, people would just stare and think, "Is that person out of their mind?" But Mei has a trump card: the 'Cryo-Freeze' ability. Whenever it gets too hot, Mei simply freezes solid for about 4 seconds.

With this, you fear nothing. It negates all external damage, including the heat dome. Unlike the Kula Diamond throw I mentioned earlier, it doesn't hurt; it actually heals! The internal environment must be so comfortable that health just surges back. You could even use the ice shards left behind after the skill ends to make infinite iced drinks! A truly considerate companion to have around.

At this point, personal gear just won't cut it. You start to think we need to change the weather itself. My mind drifts to the world of 'Frostpunk'. A world where volcanic eruptions, meteor strikes, earthquakes, failed weather experiments, and a dimming sun brought about an Ice Age—a world where the word 'heat' has been deleted from the dictionary, and the only thing that matters is surviving the cold.

Of course, I don't want a world where people drop like flies and humanity faces extinction. Even with my brain fried by the heatwave, I still have that much sense. What I’m hoping for is the mild 'Little Ice Age' seen in 'Frostpunk 2'. Wouldn't it be just perfect to have a city of thousands thriving by the sea? So, to the powers that be: please, run an experiment with sulfur clouds or whatever you have! And just in case, build me a train that circles the Earth indefinitely.