I blame *gestures at everything* for why I don’t blog about gaming in this gaming blog. I’ve gained weight, I’m struggling to stay focused at work and I barely sleep. And in the middle of all of that, I continue to buy video games that I don’t have the time nor energy to play. Le sigh.
I’m going to try to get back into this blog this year because it generally makes me happy when I write and talk about video games. I just need to make it a thing in my daily routine. So here’s hoping.
I blame the quarantine. I mean it, I completely blame the quarantine. Let’s rewind, what am I talking about, I’m talking about how I’m playing a Call of Duty game, not only that, I’m playing online multiplayer with their Battle Royale mode, Warzone.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is the latest COD (released in September of 2019). It’s a soft-reboot of this sub-series under the Call of Duty flag of games. And while I am still making my way through the campaign (and we’ll talk about that another time), what I’m here to discuss is their ‘Battle Royale’ mode, Warzone.
I’m not this type of gamer, not by a long shot. And yet here I am, playing online with other people, watching a circle shrink as I run around a map trying to survive in a death-match.
I completely get why people love this type of game, it’s endlessly entertaining and it’s those unexpected moments that delight. When you find yourself being run over by a vehicle or manage to run into a building and quickly take-down 3 or 4 surprised players who were too busy reloading. Every death is entertaining and something to be learned from.
I’ve tried PUBG and Fortnite but those games just didn’t click the way this one did. I’ve ignored my Animal Crossing island for a few weeks now. If you’re looking for something to play, a game where you can just turn off your brain. You should consider picking this up. The Warzone BR mode is free, you’d only pay if you’re interested in playing the campaign.
One caveat. If you’re going to play solo like I do, turn off the mics. There’s no need to listen in on gamergate bros and bigots as they comment on your inability to play the game. It’s just not worth it.
Hahaha, my so called challenge to myself to blog every day failed spectacularly.
Ah well, I’m still here and I’m going to try to share a few things for the .0001 % of you that might read it.
Pokémon Sword and Shield are the eighth generation of the Pokémon video game series, developed for the Nintendo Switch. When I saw that the gameplay leaned a bit more towards the gameplay style of Pokemon Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokemon: Let’s Go, Eevee! I held of on my purchase.
Don’t get me wrong, the game looks gorgeous and I am interested in the new region (the new Galar region which is based on the United Kingdom). But something about the game just feels and looks off. Maybe I’ve just outgrown the series.
And yet, I’m still considering picking it up. I think I’ll continue to hold off for now, maybe if I find a used copy that is discounted, I might take that plunge. But all of the reviews I’ve read lean towards the perspective that it’s good but not great and that it lands a bit flat.
It’s likely just me as I’m a very fickle gamer, but I’ve noticed that I fall into specific gaming moods. I’ll go months and months with playing nothing but The Binding of Isaac because I’m very much into roguelites and then all of a sudden I’m super into turn-based strategy games like Fire Emblem: Three Houses.
When a mood like this strikes, I will lose all interest in any other games and the only thing that satisfies that itch is to dive even deeper into said game. I’m currently in one of those moods and have been playing nothing but Civilization VI.
I think one reason the game is working so well right now is because I can pick it up and set it aside in shorter gaming sessions. I might just have a half hour for a handful of turns OR I could end up playing for an hour and a half before bed (just one more turn, my last, I promise).
This is a lovely video, a narrated translation of a manga, The Story of Donkey Kong featuring all of our favorite Nintendo pals: Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Toad, Pauline and of course Donkey Kong. A lovely distraction during these trying times.
I need to write more and blog more. And I’ve been bad about that. The .05% of you that land on this site are probably not going to stick around or bother to follow along unless there’s regular updates.
So I’m going to reboot this blog a bit and start fresh. I’m going to post every day for the next month. That’s my plan, my goal, my promise to this blog. I like gaming and gaming culture and I also enjoy writing and sharing with people.
Let’s see how this works out. See you around the blogosphere.
I just bought Civilization VI on the Nintendo Switch. Say goodbye to my productivity/battery-life.
It seems like everyone is gaming these days. Just try and find a Nintendo Switch, good luck. I get it though, we have all this time on our hands and gaming is a great way to socialize with each other. Even if you’re not playing an online multiplayer game, there’s a sense of community because you’re playing a game that others have played. There are resources out there for you to seek out, videos to watch to learn tips & tricks, livestreams of people speeed-running the game. You’re not alone in playing a game. There’s a whole industry and community of people behind those buttons you’re clicking. And there’s a comfort in that.
I’m not super into online gaming. It’s not a thing I’ve really been about. I’m a solo gamer who likes to do my own thing. There are a bunch of reasons for this, but the main one is that I’m very idiosyncratic with my gameplay and I’ll play something for 3 minutes and decide I’m not in that mood and move on to something else. I don’t want to have to deal with another person and possibly hurting their feelings because my brain is weird and operates in its own distinct way.
I hope all of you are staying safe and surviving the quarantine. Be sure to practice safe social distancing. It does work, it does matter, and we are seeing progress.
Here’s what I’ve been playing:
A hodge-podge of RPGs and crafting simulators. That’s just been the mood. Happy Gaming.
If you do not have a Nintendo Switch, I strongly urge you to consider picking one up. There’s a myriad of reasons to pick one up, and one of those reasons is the latest Animal Crossing: New Horizons game. It’s the most chill-out stress-free game I’ve played in a long time. There’s no real wrong way to play. You can put all your energy into unlocking new tools to expand your home or you can focus on farming and harvesting fruit to turn in for bells (in-game currency of AC).
I mean just look at cute that little house is and the little outfit I’m wearing. Find a way to pick up this system and this game if you can. I know that consoles are hard to find these days as a result of the quarantine, but if you can afford it, it’ll be worth your investment. The relaxation and chill out vibes that this game gives will help your mental health.
Glass Cannon 