Categories Video Games 
A lot of live service games have closed lately, games meant to be developed perpetually in a bid to find a golden cash cow. Less games have succeeded at this than have though, and it takes us to where we are today.
You can cite Concord, XDefiant or SEGA killing HYENAS, their most expensive game to date, before even launching it. The failure of these games to grab hold in the intended way is indisputable. What is missing from consideration is where games are today.
Categories Video Games 
I spent countless hours playing Diablo 2 and its expansion, and it probably only barely edges out Starcraft for hours played. My introduction to role playing games was the first Diablo (On the Playstation!) and NoX (a Westwood game) and Diablo 2 thereafter. Both gave me a lot of good memories, but Westwood died after NoX and Blizzard also had Starcraft. I was passionate about Blizzard from this point. When World of Warcraft came out, I jumped from Star Wars Galaxies to WoW and never looked back. I was smitten once again. WoW felt like it took the ideas of what I wanted from role playing games and made everything bigger and more realized.
However, on reflection and while listening to Kyle Bosman and Jason Schreier talk about Blizzard and WoW, I realize the world of Azeroth was probably what ruined them for me. Despite years of love, and subsequent love-hate, I think the path Blizzard walked for World of Warcraft changed the company from one that made games regularly to one that only focuses on, and before the phrase really existed, live service games. I remember when Starcraft Ghost was canceled and then I just stopped hearing about Blizzard working on new games. I did jump into and play Overwatch thoroughly but even that eventually had its doors closed and got replaced with Overwatch 2, with extra emphasis on forever-money.
Categories Video Games 
If you’re Millennial or Gen-Z, or a parent to someone who is, you may know of an aardvark with glasses named Arthur (and I only know how to spell aardvark because it was a part of the spelling bee in one of the episodes). The show addressed issues of sibling rivalry, night terrors, classism, feelings of regret, and a whole host of other things that people face every day. My friend and I discussed it a few years ago and we wondered if it would have been the same if the characters were human children instead of aardvarks, bulldogs, bunnies, and rats. We agreed the show wouldn’t be the same if the children were people.
Consider Stardew Valley vs Animal Crossing. Do the animals add to the charm of Animal Crossing? They seem to have very different audiences and the question remains: is it the species of the characters that makes a difference?
Categories Video Games 
I recently picked up Parkitect with my good friend, Realeo, what also has a couple of posts here. The game is everything you want from a park simulator with the thing you didn’t know you did: multiplayer. Building alongside a person-person who is just as clueless as you are about how things work is a joy. It also works well as a quiet group activity at times when your both sweating through figuring out how to finish a ride or why people are not buying your bubble tea. I recently got into diving into the numbers, clicking on each ride and looking at the statistics, and this has led me to a discovery. Spiral Slides are for suckers.
Spiral slides are these cool lighthouse looking rides, where a visitor queues up for the chance to climb to the top and slide down in a spiral to much pixelated joy. But this is no happy lighthouse as it appears. It is a sad lighthouse. It is Nickel Creeks’s Lighthouse. The only thing being dashed against the rocks here though are profits.
Categories Video Games 
I won’t get into too heavy of specifics but there is spoileryness, even while I am as vague as I can be.
In the literal ruins of Hobson’s past, I learned that I can look to his advice but I cannot live in his footsteps. The lesson of the game was that of choice. Hobson imparted knowledge throughout my adventure but, ultimately, taught me that the choices my own through a carefully measured pace of notes that blended with the tasks I found myself choosing to do. There were a lot of decisions to be made as Beatrix, but for every door I chose, another closed. I think we are all choosing doors every single day; what is life if not a series of doors and a mixture of emotions about the ones we did and did not go through?
Slime Rancher let me break convention by allowing me to fly over locked doors, choosing how I approached the world around me. With freedom abound, it is beautiful that they did not take away the culminating final choice. So many games end in a this-or-that scenario masked as decision making that is supposed to be reflective of the person playing. Slime Rancher, while more constrained in overall scope, is so much more. Consequently, Instead, I am now sitting here in my chair, and I am exploring my mixed emotions.
I recommend you play Slime Rancher, or not. The choice is yours.
Categories Video Games 
I usually do so well to avoid crates. The last time I bought big into crates was the in 2019 when Xanmeer Crates were available. Well, here I am again, a sucker once more for Xanmeer Crates. I cannot even believe you can get a Craglorn Welwa four times in a row. Meanwhile I have only gotten a single ouchie-plant out of the three available. So there is not much to this post, just a reminder that Crown Crates are a scam. If I could, I would just pay some stupid number annually to know I can get what I want. I am not adverse to paying to support the game, but it would be nice to not feel like I have been fleeced so often. As of now, I only stick my head out every handful of years to learn my lesson again.
Well played, ZoS.
Categories Video Games 
Since 2014, I have played exclusively argonians and have no intention of changing. Khajiiti have come close but, while I respect heir laid back lifestyle and abundance of substances, the marshes and dark places of Murkmire have always felt at home for my light adverse soul.
Elder Scrolls Online just added a new premium home to its shop. Nestled away in Blackwood, Willowpond Haven is stunning for several reasons. Just look at it. The rain, the hanging trees, a central body of water, and in the back is a cave! I love caves!
Categories Video Games 
Growing up in the 90’s, I was in an exclusive relationship with Sega. The courting was short, as my father brought home the Sega Genesis and it was unexpected but welcomed love. At the time, Nintendo never entered my mind. I spent my evening with Sonic, Hook, and many other adventures. The years however tired my relationship with Sega, and I found myself hoping for the Corporation that I once knew to return to loving form. One can only wait so long though, as I began to look elsewhere, as I began to look at Nintendo.
On October 17th, I invited myself to fall again, I purchased Sonic Superstars and the possibility of renewed interest felt real! I have wanted so badly to fall in love with Sonic again, and this was my chance. Nothing is ever so simple though, and two days later Super Mario Bros. Wonder showed up at my door looking like a delicious dish.
Categories Video Games 
The colorful landscape of Galen and the fauns that fill it brought me joy at first sight. Reading The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and visiting Ohio has instilled an instinctual desire in me to want to make friends with all fauns.
Sadly, the fauns until this point had not seemed keen on the idea. They dance, but never extended an invitation. In fact, they were downright hostile. I doubted I would ever meet a faun friend, but then I found two striking individuals.
Categories Video Games 
There was a time when I was set on playing Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures. In 2008, I was excited for an MMORPG that was unbound by embracing its visceral combat, unbound by the promise of relentless PvP, and unbound by articles of clothing to maintain any modesty.
Yet Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning came out the same year and with its blitz of marketing, it caught me and I became a cheerleader for another team. I forgot about Conan and embraced WAR. I would go on to play Warhammer Online on and off until its early demise (and then again with its rebirth, but that is for another time).
I never stopped hearing positive things about the initial experience of Age of Conan, that it is well voiced and well put together but also drops off hard in quality after its introduction. I accepted this and decided I would right a wrong, I would finally enter Hyboria!