XCOM: Enemy Unknown–Episode 5

Chaos at the Burger Shop 

heavy in the face  

still waiting on satellites  

panic climbs higher 

Play nice, everyone!

XCOM: Enemy Unknown–Episode 4

Never Enough Money 

my first report card 

too many assault soldiers 

we meet the floaters 

Play nice, everyone!

XCOM: Enemy Unknown–Episode 3

That Doctor Is Scary 

interrogation

we still need more engineers

no one has died yet

Play nice, everyone!

Liebster Award Nomination!

 

 

 

I Got a What Now?

Up until a couple of days ago, I had never heard of the Liebster Award, which is not too surprising. I’ve had my blog for nearly five years, but have only recently (in the last few months) been able to redouble my efforts to post more frequently and consistently. Along with that I’ve actually begun to seek out and follow other blogs, written by people with similar interests. The biggest change has been that I’ve made a concerted effort to comment and participate in discussions with other bloggers, which has been extremely rewarding! And now one of those bloggers has nominated me and my blog for the Liebster Award. Before going any further I’d like to offer my heartfelt thanks to Rebekah Lang for the nomination, and an earnest recommendation to all to go check out her excellent blog at rebekahlang.com.

So What Is It?

The first thing I needed to do was actually find out what a Liebster Award is, and it turns out that it’s pretty great. In my own words it is a gesture of recognition and appreciation shared by bloggers with the blogs they enjoy following and interacting with. It also includes an element of networking, as nominees are encouraged to share more about themselves as well as nominate other bloggers. In the end, we all learn a bit more about who the person is behind the posts and even find new blogs to check out.

Liebster is German for what seems to be a variety of meanings including “loveliest”, “welcome”, “dearest”, and “valued” among others. In poking around the internet to learn more about the award I’ve found varied but similar rules for acceptance which mostly agree on a handful of key items: thanking the person who nominated you, answering the 11 questions they posed in the nomination, revealing 11 fun or random facts about yourself, and further nominating additional bloggers, with an emphasis on blogs having a subscriber count on the lower range of the spectrum (I’ve seen less than 3000, 2000 or 200, you get the idea though).

Let’s Get Started!

Rebekah asked the following questions for me to answer, so here we go:

1. You are stuck on a desert island with only five games for the rest of time (or until you are rescued). Which do you choose?

This was a tough one given the vast number of un-played games on my shelf. Who knows how long I would be stuck on the island, I might as well make it count and make it last. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion would have to be number one. I’ve been trying to play through that game off and on for… holy crap, like 8 years! If I was stuck on a desert island with only 4 other titles I would definitely finish it! Next I would select Red Dead Redemption, one of the most acclaimed open-world games of the last generation. After that, Dark Souls. I absolutely loved Demon’s Souls and would hate the idea of possibly missing out on the rest of From Software’s masterpieces. The fourth game would be my copy of Puyo Puyo Tetris because sometimes you’re just not in the mood to slog through an epic quest, and a good, quirky puzzle game can provide respite. Last but not least I would take Dead Space, which is an unusual choice for me. I’m generally not a fan of horror games and I don’t care for jump scares at all. Dead Space seemed like a good third-person shooter made for people who are not me. I was so uninterested in Dead Space that I didn’t purchase it. However, a good friend of mine liked it so much that he actually bought it for me, despite my lack of interest. I figure that has got to be the strongest possible way a person can recommend a game. I couldn’t live with myself if I never got around to trying out the gift given by a good friend, and desert island or no, I will get around to it.

2. What is your worst gaming pet peeve?

I’m not a fan of games that don’t have a subtitle option, but I’ve got to believe that is behind us at this point. I’m going to have to say bad cameras. When you’re in the middle of a tense action sequence, the camera spazzing out on environmental geometry is the worst. There has to be a better way.

3. How do you choose your topics?

Most of my game-related topics are probably inspired by the other game-related content I consume. By that I don’t mean just playing games. From podcasts and magazines, to blogs and tweets, I tend to follow the video game industry in much the same way as a big sports fan follows their favorite team. Sometimes listening to a podcast discussion I am not participating in will drive me to write about my opinion on the same topic, it’s more effective than trying to talk to my iPod. A preview article about an upcoming game might inspire me to write about why the game is exciting for me or why I think it’s a bad idea altogether. Someone else’s blog post might reveal to me that I have a strong opinion about the same topic, but in a different light and I’ll want to share that.

It occurs to me that most of the things I like to write about revolve around discussion. They are inspired by someone else’s discussion that I was unable to participate in, a discussion I was able to participate in but wanted to continue it down another path, or a subject that is ripe for opposing views. I like discussion, the back and forth. Though I feel gaming has never been more popular or accepted than it is now, I rarely find myself in the physical company of others who share that interest. Writing about it here, and reading/commenting about it on other blogs provides an avenue for those fun discussions to take place.

Coming up with topics has been something that I struggle with. I do feel like I can write fairly well once I know where I want to go with something, but the hardest part is the starting point. From the advice of a new friend, I’ve taken to pulling out my phone and adding ideas to a list when they come to me. I think this will help immensely.

4. Do you try to hit a certain word count in your blogs? Or do you just wing it?

My posts always start from a specific thought I want to share, and usually include a few certain wrinkles that in my head sound like they would come across well or in an entertaining way. I stop when they feel finished and that’s pretty much it. In fact, they often take off in a completely different direction once I get started, occasionally the final product barely resembles the one I started writing. I quite enjoy writing and can tend to be a bit “wordy”. I’m usually concerned that my posts end up being too long (hello, are you still here?).

Then there’s The King’s Backlog. It feels right to type a little something to accommodate my video posts. I certainly don’t want to just throw the episode up there by itself, there has to be something, right? Well, I soon discovered that it was really hard to think of anything substantial to write about each successive hour of the same video game and an idea took form in my head out of nowhere. Haikus! I had never even tried to write one so I have no clue where that idea came from, but I tried it anyway. My current process of posting The King’s Backlog consists of me introducing the game, expectations I may have about playing it, and any other thoughts about it I want to put into words, all posted along with the first episode. Subsequent episodes are now accompanied by a haiku to summarize or hint at highlights of the episode… or simply make me chuckle.

Long description made short, no word count… but sometimes a syllable count.

5. What one weird talent do you have that no one would expect?

I have worked in the construction industry for nearly all of my adult life, for the last 10 years with a geotechnical construction company that specializes in Cement Deep Soil Mixing. This means that I am always traveling for work as our projects are scattered throughout the US and occasionally beyond. Most people I meet and interact with are in the context of construction work, and that often comes with a certain… I don’t know, stereotype? I will frequently show up looking like this (bottom left), especially in the summer. Depending on the where the project is located, I may show up on this (right). The people I’m close to know better how varied my interests are, the rest are usually completely surprised to learn I can play the cello. I’m quite rusty since my career makes it hard to find the time to practice on the “axe”.

6. You are going to Disneyland: what do you do first?

I’ve actually been to Disneyland once (in 1995) and have very fond memories of the Matterhorn and Star Tours. I imagine some things have changed there in the last 20 years so the first thing I would do is probably make a quick recon to see if there’s anything new I need to check out… then spend the rest of the day on the Matterhorn and Star Tours. Oh, and see if I can find a really big corndog. There’s something about amusement parks makes me hungry for a really big corndog.

I love roller coasters and someday want to make it to Magic Mountain.

7. You have to be immersed in one game world for a day; which do you choose and why?

Wow, this one’s hard! I’m going to go with Tamriel from Oblivion. Part of the reason why I’m nowhere near finishing the game after countless hours is because I’ve been doing so much exploring. I love the look of the world and the different visual style for each region and town. I’m fascinated by the Ayleid ruins and old forts scattered throughout the map and spend way too much time poking around in them. It would be great to drop a bit of gold at a magic shop and be able to shoot fire and lightning from my fingertips. And who wouldn’t jump at the chance to sit down in a tavern to converse with a Khajiit and an Argonian?

8. What is your favorite place you have visited? Why?

I’ve done a lot of traveling with my job and had some great times in some great places. This would have been a much more difficult question for me to answer three weeks ago. Now I can say without hesitation that my favorite place I have visited is Japan, hands down. As a kid who used to love watching old Godzilla movies and later grew up with the excellent 8 and 16-bit consoles the Japanese brought us, there was no more desired a place to go than Japan. As an adult who’s worked for a Japanese company for the last 10 years and become quite fond of my co-workers who call Japan home, my desire to go there became much more than just a geek fantasy. And I was not disappointed, it was AMAZING! I’ll be trying to get a blog post put together about my recent trip very soon, so I’m hesitant to go into the “why” in too much detail right now.

9. If you could be the lead singer for a known band at a huge concert for one day, which would it be? Why?

I have pretty varied tastes when it comes music, with favorite songs across many genres and eras that I love to sing along with. For some unknown reason I’ve been singing “Midnight Confession” from The Grass Roots in my head most of the day, and I wasn’t even born before that song was popular.

Because I genuinely like each and every song in their catalogue and I don’t think I can say that about any other band, I’m going to have to go with Breaking Benjamin. Learning more about the lead singer (Benjamin Burnley) and the phobias he suffers from casts a new light on his work that really draws me in. I was also surprised to learn that he co-wrote my favorite Red song “Shadows”.

10. Carpet or hardwood?

I like them both. Hardwood can be beautiful, but a good carpet is more comfortable on bare feet and to stretch out on. Also, carpeted rooms feel…quieter (I’m not sure that’s the right word, hopefully you know what I mean). That’s how I prefer to feel when I think about a home. So if I have to choose one, it’s carpet. Besides, I can’t imagine wrestling or playing tug-of-war with this little guy on hardwood (Hi Reggie!). I’ve already got quite a weight advantage, he needs the additional traction!

If allowed to choose both, dark hardwood on the ground floor and thick carpet in the basement.

11. Someone has to do a formal painting of you; what do you wear and how do you pose? Inside or outside?

It’s really goofy but I wear a Hawaiian shirt, jeans, my Nintendo controller belt buckle, and my motorcycle boots. It doesn’t make for the classy portrait at all, but it is just so me. I’m sitting in a chair gazing thoughtfully into the distant horizon, because the best pictures of people are the ones in which the subjects don’t appear to be aware of the picture. I suppose “candid” would be the term? Outside, somewhere with natural beauty. Wooded mountainside perhaps?

About Me

And now for 11 facts about me:

1. To partially explain the answer to question 11 above, I wear a Hawaiian shirt every Friday. Rain or shine, in the office or on the jobsite, I wear one from my collection. In the last 8 years I have probably only forgotten to put on my Friday shirt twice. I can’t even remember why I started doing it, but I’m sure I always will. It seems to bring a little levity to work each week. It also makes me easy to shop for.

I love it when my co-workers occasionally join in!

2. I’m allergic to cats, which is great (sarcasm) because I love cats and cats love me. My wife’s cat and I were the best of friends when she still lived with us, but I always struggled to breathe whenever I was home and she wouldn’t leave my side.

3. Growing up in Utah meant that I had only one local professional sports team to cheer for, the Utah Jazz.
My favorite NFL team is the Philadelphia Eagles… I have never been to Philadelphia…
My favorite MLB team is the Chicago Cubs… I have never been to Chicago…

4. It will likely be the death of me but I love my Mountain Dew. I drink a lot of it. When I am eating out, my choice of restaurant is heavily influenced by their soft drink offerings. Unfortunately Coca-Cola is what most dining establishments have available. I don’t care for Coca-Cola, it actually hurts my stomach, but stir in a little chocolate syrup and you have something magical. And the look on a waitress’s/waiter’s face after you’ve just asked them to add chocolate to a Coke and stir until it looks like muddy water is priceless. One waitress even called her friends over to watch me from the kitchen doorway because they didn’t actually think I was going to drink it. Give it a try!

5. As unhealthy as my diet is, or may appear to be, I actually have a favorite fruit! Every year I am very excited when the pomegranate is in season again. I know it’s a lot of work, but please stop trying to tell me about easier ways to eat them, that’s part of the experience. I can enjoy a pomegranate for nearly an entire movie’s length!

6. If I could travel back in time only once, I would choose a crowded theater in 1980 that was about to find out who Darth Vader really is. What a cool reaction that must have been!

7. I hate sleeping in. On weekends when I am not working my alarm is usually set for 6:00 am. My free time is precious and I’d much rather spend the early morning hours playing video games or meeting up with some friends at a disc golf course.

8. I really like musicals. I’ve seen both “

Les Misérables

” and “Phantom of the Opera” live in San Francisco. I love the movies “Paint Your Wagon”, “My Fair Lady”, “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers”, and “Moulin Rouge!” among many others. I especially enjoy seeing local community theatre productions.

9. I still have all of my wisdom teeth.

10. I am the oldest of 6, and the only one with my mother’s hazel eyes. All of my siblings have my father’s blue eyes, defying probability as blue eyes are a recessive gene (thank you biology class).

11. For some reason I can never listen to a song containing in the lyrics the words “memory” or “memories” without my brain automatically replacing it with “mammary” or “mammaries” (which isn’t actually a word). This has made listening to music incredibly strange at times. If after reading this you are also afflicted with this curse, you are welcome.

Who’s Next?

I’d like to nominate Junambo over at Quarter Circle Gaming, one of the sites I’ve recently started following and enjoy quite a bit. Go check it out, there’s some great writing and well thought out reviews over there. Junambo, here are your 11 questions:

1. What 3 games do you think have had the biggest impact on the industry, and what was the impact?
2. Jack Bauer or James Bond?

3. Do you have a favorite classic game that you can always return to, and if so what is it?
4. What accomplishment are you most proud of?
5. Single-player, co-op, or multiplayer?
6. If you could only choose one food to eat for the next six months, what would it be?
7. What do you want to be when you grow up? (I think this question can be relevant at any age)
8. Which mundane, everyday profession do you think would make a good basis for the next great simulation game?
9. You can interview any one person, living or dead. Who do you choose?
10. Which place in the world do you wish to travel to more than any other?
11. What is it about you that people are the most surprised to learn?

Thanks again for the Liebster nomination, Rebekah, it means a lot. And thanks for reading!

Play nice, everyone!

XCOM: Enemy Unknown–Episode 2

You Want a Live One?

aliens are here

haikus for XCOM are hard

no one has died yet

Play nice, everyone!

XCOM: Enemy Unknown–Episode 1

The Aliens Have Invaded!

After finishing my playthrough of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, I had to decide what to record next. It was tempting to just go right into the next title in the series (there are three on the same disc after all), but ultimately I wanted to go with a different type of game. You know, get a different flavor going. I am very excited, but also a bit nervous about what I selected…

 
I love a strategy or RPG game with a good turn-based combat mechanic. I enjoy being able to examine the situation and theorize about what might come next as a result of each decision. As I’ve mentioned before turn-base and real-time systems each have their own place in my heart, but if I had to pick one over the other outside of any context I would go turn-based. Maybe it’s because Dragon Warrior was my first video game love, or because of how it imitates that flow of the paper/dice founding father so many games have drawn inspiration from. Maybe it’s simply that I don’t like to be rushed when there are more than a few different moving parts to take into consideration.

The Setup

The aliens are invading and must be stopped! The mysterious council of nations has put into effect the “XCOM Project” in an effort to combat the otherworldly threat. You, the player, are cast into the role of Commander of this initiative. Right off the bat I like that even though you aren’t supposed imagine yourself as any of the on screen characters, you are given an identified role.

Throughout the game you must decide which specific soldiers will deploy for each mission and how each of them will level up within their respective classes. In between missions you will choose how the budget is to be spent between better troop equipment, global satellite coverage, base upgrades, etc..

Your Army

Each event in the game can carry with it permanent consequences, and the effects on the individuals in your military force are no exception. Each member of your squad can be injured, or even killed during enemy engagements. Should they die, they won’t return. For this reason I’ve often heard it recommended that you name each member of your force after people you know. When the soldiers at risk on the ground are named after friends, family members, or co-workers, it adds a bit more impact to their battlefield demise and subsequent listing on the memorial wall. It can also add a bit of humor when you are tired of yelling at your real-life cubicle neighbor to quit missing all of his shots and start pulling his weight!

For this playthrough I won’t be doing that because it can be pretty time consuming to redesign each person in the barracks, at least it is for me because I’m not just content to change their name but also their face and hair as well as pick out a specific armor color. Additionally, there may be people in my life who wouldn’t appreciate their name and likeness being shared in this manner for all the internet to have access to. Asking everyone I know how they feel about me including them in the “dumb video game internet thing I’m doing” is not something I’ll be pursuing.

However, if you stumble upon this blog or the video itself on my YouTube page and would like to see an XCOM soldier named after you, feel free to let me know and I’d be happy to try to keep that unfortunate digital soul alive.

The War Begins

How many nations of the world will lose confidence and pull their support from the project as I struggle to keep them safe? How many brave men and women will ultimately give their lives in defense of their home world before the inevitable conclusion? Only time will tell…

Play nice, everyone!

The Sands of Time–Episode 10

And the World Is Saved!

the final battle

time circles back to the start

a journey concludes

Play nice, everyone!

I Can’t See You!

As I write this, it is currently the middle of the night here in Tokyo. I was fortunate enough to take this trip and see some amazing things unlike anything I’ve seen before. Because my job is one that often requires me to always be available it’s also been a bit tiring. I had to join a conference call to answer some questions and address some concerns about a project that is starting up back in the states, which meant waking up in the middle of the night. While I was up I decided to catch up on some of the other gaming blogs I follow, engage in some discussion, and felt the desire to write a little for myself.

I will be posting all about my time here in Japan shortly after I get back home. Check back later for that!

First Person vs Third Person

Do you have a preference? I know I do. I will give any game a chance if it seems like the setting, story, and gameplay will be interesting and fun to me, regardless of play style. I do however prefer third person over first.

This also means that first person shooters are not my favored genre, and I end up passing on a lot of potentially great experiences as a result. I do play some, but it’s always something else about the game that draws me in.

I appreciated the visual style and sense of humor of Borderlands, but what really got me into it was the prospect of enjoying those things cooperatively with a couple of friends. This also explains why I haven’t made much progress in Borderlands 2 at the time of this writing, our group hasn’t been able to consistently meet up to tackle the sequel. As a result, while Borderlands 2 is touted as an improvement over what made the first game so great, I don’t like it as much. What it is on it’s own is not as good as what it is, plus friends (Borderlands 2 + Friends > Borderlands 2). I’m also suspecting that the whole “golden key” system is dragging the experience down for me, but that’s a topic for another day.

I got into Mirror’s Edge for what it brought to the table that was unique to most first person games, and that was the parkour world navigation. For me, that style was made more fun by the novelty of free running through Faith’s perspective. My experience with shooters is usually not enhanced in this way just by putting the camera directly behind the gun.

I Want to See

I feel like I have much better awareness of my surroundings in third person, but mostly I just want to see my character. I like to notice how changing equipment also changes the look. I like to see how the character moves, makes use of cover, and negotiates obstacles. Most of all I like to remember who my character is. I know the goal of the first person viewpoint is to better immerse the player in the shoes of the protagonist, but it’s easy for me to forget who the protagonist is when I can’t see them, especially if that character also has no in-game voice. I’m not trying to play the game as me, I’m trying to play as the character.

My wife once commented on how often she notices that I will create a female character in games. Initially I didn’t have a response to that, but after thinking about it for a while it made sense that it’s because for so many years of gaming there wasn’t an option. The default character was usually male. As a result I will, more often than not, create a female character when given the option. Now I’m not going to sit here and say that every game should have a female version of the protagonist to select. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with creating a story-centric game with one specifically designed character. These games serve their story better. I would like to see more of these games that feature a much wider variety of main character design (gender, ethnicity, etc.), and I think that’s the future we’re headed for. Anyway, that’s another topic for another post.

In a previous post I used my current Oblivion character as an example and she’ll serve here as well. Because I’m looking through her eyes and because she has no in-game voice I forget the character I’m playing. It can be jarring when I talk to a shopkeeper, quest-giver, or other NPC and that character includes “miss” or “ma'am” in their dialogue (I’m not actually sure if any character in Oblivion says “ma’am”, but you get the idea). I’ve forgotten the gender of my character because I can’t see her.

I’ve said it before, the thing I like the most about my games is story. And central to a good story are well-defined characters. There are some of us who enjoy bringing themselves into the game. I prefer to bring myself into the character, and that’s easier and more fun for me when I can see them.

Cover Me!

The second biggest reason I prefer third person games to first person is the way they typically handle cover. In most first person games I’ve played you take advantage of cover by standing behind a wall or ducking while in front of a low object, which just gives you a close up view of the object you are hiding behind (I hope your textures are good!). This is certainly more realistic in that your view would definitely be obstructed if you were hiding behind something in real life, but that’s not for me. I only want so much realism in my escapism.

In movies or TV shows where action scenes depict the characters behind cover, we see them with their backs against the object offering protection. And they usually turn in a cool, hero-type way to peek out or over the cover and squeeze off a few shots in defense. It looks better for us, the viewers, because we see them from a different viewpoint. I find that the same holds true for me with games.

Simply put, I prefer third person games because I can see my character and how they interact with the world around them. That is, as long as the camera system is well designed…

How you do like to view your game worlds? Like me, do you also have a clear preference?

 

Play nice, everyone!

The Sands of Time–Episode 9

Fumbling in the Dark

elevator trap

why is there a bathtub here

my companion falls

Play nice, everyone!

The Sands of Time–Episode 8

Don’t Get Distracted Now, Prince!

swinging a new sword

prison and torture chamber

now he is shirtless

Play nice, everyone!

Side-Questing Into Ambiguity

Who Am I, Really?

This is a topic that I’ve been kicking around in my head for a while now as a direct result of two main catalysts.

The first is from an Afterwords interview of Far Cry 4’s creative director, Alex Hutchinson, by Game Informer’s Matt Bertz in the February 2015 issue. One of the questions Matt asks Alex is about what he feels is the “schizophrenic nature” of the main character because of the stark moral contrast in the missions undertaken throughout the game. Alex’s response to this was what turned on the light bulb for me as he answers that, “… he wasn’t doing any of those things – you were.” He then goes on to point out that much of that content was optional.

The second was a post I recently read from a blog I started following (written by Rebekah Lang), and am enjoying quite a bit. Specifically, it was this post. In it she discusses her enjoyment of side quests and the satisfaction felt by completing them all. I really wanted to comment on the post itself, but couldn’t do so without a lot of words. Having no good way to convey my point without taking up way too much space in her comment section, I decided to just write this post and offer inspirational credit and a recommendation to her excellent blog. 

These two sources provide a good frame for the conflicting feelings I’m having about side quests in video games lately, which we’ll get to in short order. First,  please allow me to set the stage for an example of this bittersweet relationship.

Open-World Games

Nothing extends a video game backlog like open-world games, and I have many on my shelf. The worst offender, and perhaps my most embarrassing, is The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Despite the many hours I’ve spent with the game I’ve never finished it. I’ve never even made much headway in the main quest. On top of that, I’m currently playing through the third copy I’ve owned! My wife purchased the initial release on PS3 for me as a gift, which I later traded in for the Game of the Year Edition (an act she is still not too pleased about), which was in turn given to a friend when I purchased the 5th Anniversary Edition.

My failure to finish the game is due mainly to distraction and my inability to play it correctly. I don’t like talking about games being played “correctly” because I’m a firm believer that if you are enjoying your time with a game you are doing it right, regardless of your progress. It is a game after all and games are supposed to be fun (I think that’s a quote from something…?). When a game gives me the opportunity to do what I want, I tend to try to do it all. Rather than creating a specialized character, I would tend to try a bit of everything. It’s a real “jack of all trades, master of none” scenario. In Oblivion the game world levels alongside you, so I would repeatedly reach a point where I was technically at a high enough level but wasn’t proficient enough in any skills to survive. I would always hit a wall when the trolls began to appear. I hate trolls… (now that I remember from Willow).

When dealing with a meaty RPG like Oblivion I really have to stick with it at the near exclusion of all others until I’m done so I don’t forget what’s going on in the story or at least what the controls are. Second only to the pity that is the number of games on my shelf I haven’t played, is the number of games I have started but haven’t returned to because of other gaming distractions. But I haven’t given up on Oblivion just yet, I’ve created one last character with whom I am bound and determined to see as much of the game as possible before finally putting it behind me.

Meet Sylvir Blackhart!
 
She is amazing! As a master of archery and stealth, she can operate undetected in most situations and strike from the dark like no other. At level 29, her Speed and Agility (the attributes most vital for her deadly skills) are completely maxed out. Unlike my previous characters she is focused on a specific toolset, and as a result is enjoying quite a bit of success. However, while I do love playing the sneaky, ranged, lock-picking assassin, I don’t much like her.

Sylvir doesn’t stand for anything, has no discernable alignment or motive. The only thing anybody can ever really know about who she is, is that she seems to be addicted to favors. She has an insatiable need to do things for people, which is how she got to level 29 without even really beginning the main “save the world” quest. No task is too noble, despicable, simple, or complex. She doesn’t at all care who is helped or hurt by her reckless, mercenary ways.

Of course, just as Mr. Hutchinson told Matt about Far Cry 4, she didn’t do any of those things, I did. In the course of trying to see as much of the game as I could I’ve created a character that behaves like a crazy person. In chasing the satisfaction that comes from crossing items off of a quest log, I’ve created a less satisfying story.

What Does It Mean to You?

I love a good story, and I will forgive a lot of bland gameplay, questionable design choices, and even a host of glitches for a great one. For me, central to a great story are strong, well-defined characters. By fulfilling any and all requests she come across, Sylvir is anything but well-defined.

Now, I’m not here to pass judgment on people for how they like to play their games. However you find your fun with a game is exactly how you should be playing it (aside from those that derive enjoyment from harassing, excluding, or threatening other people through games). If you genuinely like spending countless hours running down each and every side quest in a game, more power to you. I’ve done it myself and had fun while doing it.

I won’t deny how great it is to open the map in an Assassin’s Creed game and see all those little icons cleaned off. The difference with Assassin’s Creed games is that none of the optional side activities break who the characters is. The point is to play through that character’s story, re-live their experiences. You can be punished or at least warned for doing something like accidentally killing an innocent bystander because it is out of character for the protagonist (…sometimes I get sloppy with the targeting…), but the included missions are all in line with who you are playing as.

Side quests can be a great way for developers to extend the experience for gamers who want more value for their dollar, and an enjoyable game can be fun for a much longer period of time by including a well thought out suite of optional content. At this point many of us have been conditioned to try to get the most “juice for the squeeze”, whether it’s in an attempt to get more bang for your buck or to collect all the trophies/achievements.

Open-world games that promote the idea of playing it however you want will undoubtedly be loaded with side quests and other non-critical activities, but perhaps with a  downside for gamers such as myself. Like with Matt Bertz’s experience in Far Cry 4, many large games offer some side quests that can be quite morally contradicting to others. In trying to see and do everything, maybe we’re not so much playing the way we want as we are simply playing all we can.

What I’m beginning to understand about myself is that I might enjoy these experiences more by asking myself what my character would do rather than just trying to do everything. We already have a powerful opportunity to shape our distinct path through many of the impressive digital creations at our fingertips, why not try to use it? What’s the point of having this incredible player choice, only to use it to just do all the things, all the time? Why not play as a character who will readily assist those in need for little to no gain, but finds a more nefarious request distasteful? Why not create a character who just wants to watch it all burn down? Why not immerse yourself in a persona that’s much less picky but will only perform tasks in return for an appropriate financial reward? And if you really want to see all a game has to offer, why not replay it as a different character with different standards?

I often think back to my time with Heavy Rain. To date, I’ve only played it through once and enjoyed it immensely. Perhaps the best part was talking about it with a new friend who had played it at around the same time that I did. Our stories were completely different! I still find it fascinating how unique our experiences could be while still playing the same game. Heavy Rain is obviously not an open-world game and isn’t loaded with side quests but it serves to remind me how vital a good story can be to my enjoyment of a game. When the credits rolled I had a clear-cut, well-defined path through that was uniquely mine.

How Could It Be Better?

The games in the Infamous series receive a lot of criticism for promising player choice, but really only delivering two main options. I’ve only played the first one at this point, but I understand the following titles are pretty similar in this regard. At critical junctions throughout the game you have to make a choice which affects not only the story, but the protagonist’s morality. Most of the criticism leveled at the game pertains to the fact that the choices are all pretty clearly “good” or “bad”, as well as the fact that you have to commit to one or the other to obtain and maximize the top-tier abilities. To walk a morally “gray” line, you have to make a combination of “white” and “black” choices and will likely never reach your full potential as a super-powered dude.

While I understand where the complaints come from, I don’t really share them. I had a great time playing Infamous and felt it was a very solid product. Because I wanted to see both sides (and get that Platinum!) I played it through twice, becoming the bad Cole first, followed by the good.

One thing I appreciated was how it handled side quests. They weren’t nearly as pervasive as in most large open world titles, but what they did with them mattered, at least to me. Many of the side quests were basically two sides of the same coin. When you chose to tackle an optional mission that was aligned with one moral side, the other one was taken off the table. There was no way to do all of the “good” side missions and all of the “bad”, which made sense to me. I would like to see a similar system put in place in future open-world games on a much larger scale.

Imagine an Elder Scrolls-sized epic adventure just loaded with side quests, but when you agree to take on one task, many of the others that could be seen as morally contradicting became no longer available. Sure, you couldn’t do each and every little non-critical activity in one playthrough, but your story would be personalized by your choices. Your character would be better defined, not only by what he/she did, but also by what he/she declined to do.

I know, it’s kind of a silly thing to hope for, especially since I can already do this myself by being a bit more discerning as I play. I’d still love to see someone try, if it hasn’t already been done before in a game I just haven’t played yet (the backlog is deep!). That way, the gamer in me who wants an individualized story doesn’t have do battle with the one who wants to do everything (he’s already too good at getting his way!). Perhaps, with a system such as that I would like Sylvir a lot more. I would at least know who she is.

Thanks for reading!

Play nice, everyone!

The Sands of Time–Episode 7

A Little Help Here, Farah?

mirrors reflect light 

she is reading love stories 

I can’t find my way 

Play nice, everyone!

The Sands of Time–Episode 6

Getting My Feet Wet

balancing on beams

bats swarm when inconvenient

emerge from the well

Play nice, everyone!

The Sands of Time–Episode 5

Going Sleeveless!

tandem tower climb

fighting birds atop stone walls

waterfalls are loud

 

Play nice, everyone!

The Sands of Time–Episode 4

Friendly Fire!

In this episode I begin by trying to recap the story so far. Because I’ve been trying to focus on playing the game while also having interesting things to say (the success of which I will leave open to your interpretation), many of the story beats have eluded me. As I discuss in the video I also think this is potentially due to the era in which the game was released. This was a generation where gameplay instruction and story were not conveyed solely via printed manual or in game methods such as cut scenes and on-screen text, but rather a combination of the two. In today’s gaming landscape we’ve grown accustomed to just jumping in the game and being properly informed of those things throughout the experience.

We also find a new weapon that grants passage through a new type of barrier, encounter more enemies to combat, puzzles to solve, and Farah actually shoots me in the back! She acts like it was an accident, but we did destroy her home, steal all the valuables, and planned to make her a servant of some kind before it all went pear-shaped. Can’t really blame here, I guess. Enjoy the episode!

Play nice, everyone!

The Sands of Time–Episode 3

Back For More! 

I’m getting a lot more comfortable with the process of editing, audio balancing, and posting these videos. And I’m having a lot of fun too! I’m also learning some valuable lessons, like beginning the recording well before I start playing as well as stopping well after I’m done. That gives me more footage to come in and out with, without cutting off important things… like cut scenes. I discovered the end of the previous episode cuts off rather abruptly, and the cut scene that plays after that save point I also managed to skip off camera. Even I didn’t see it, I must have inadvertently pressed the wrong button. This resulted in Episode 3 beginning with some remarks from the characters that had no context, and me having no idea why. The funny thing is that even though it occurs after a save point, simply reloading the file from that save point doesn’t trigger the cut scene again. It just starts gameplay at the next section where you have control of the character.

Since I already needed to replay some earlier sections to find segments that would be good to use for the episode intro graphic, I was also able to capture the missing cut scene to insert at the beginning of the video. Now, instead of just hearing me confused about missing something, you get to see the cut scene… then hear me confused about missing something!

In replaying the earlier portion of the game I was also able to get a better handle on the story. While it’s probably mostly due to me being overly conscious of being on mic (something I’m still getting used to), the game could have presented the story better. Maybe it’s because of the period of time the game released in. Earlier generations typically included a manual booklet that would contain an introduction to the game world and characters, while current video games almost never include any printed material. The Sands of Time may be a result of that middle ground where the game story had a foot in both methods.

Speaking of being on mic, boy is that a lot more than I was ready for! It turns out that it’s not easy to carry on an interesting conversation about the onscreen action… with yourself. I’m looking forward to the day I can look back on these early attempts and be surprised about my progress. It would also be fun to try an episode or two with a friend to help keep the commentary going, especially when the action heats up and my brain can’t decide which way to go. Volunteers? Enjoy the episode!

Play nice, everyone!

The Sands of Time–Episode 2

The Adventure Continues! 

The action heats up with new combat moves and more elaborate traps. Join me as I lose against new enemy types, get stumped by simple puzzles, and struggle with indecision. I even make a bad Fruit Ninja joke! This episode has everything!

Play nice, everyone!

The King’s Backlog Begins!

Let’s Play! 

This project has been a long time in the making… or at least in the conception. I’ve wanted to do something like this for some time now, and it’s finally happening! Ever since becoming a fan of Game Informer’s Replay feature several years ago, I’ve often thought I’d like to give it a go. At first it seemed somewhat unattainable, then simply too time consuming. Regardless, here we are!

So what am I talking about? First a little backstory. Years ago when I was just getting the hang of Facebook and merely dipping my toes in the wild world of Twitter, I saw a post from Game Informer basically announcing something like, “Do you like Mystery Science Theater 3000? You’ll love this! It’s just like MST3K only for video games instead of movies!” That’s pretty heavy paraphrasing, but you get the idea. I do love me some MST3K (see my meeting Kevin Murphy at Salt Lake Comic Con FanX) and video games. It sounded like they were about to scratch an itch I didn’t yet know I had!

Regrettably, it was some time before I actually got around to checking out Replay. Well, I say “regrettably”, but the upside was by that time there was a wealth of great content that I could binge watch, getting to know the voices, personalities and sense of humor of many of the great GI staff members whose writing I had enjoyed for years. Watching that entertaining bunch play through older video games quickly became one of the highlights of each week. And it sure seemed fun! And with that, I give you “The King’s Backlog”!



I believe I’ve mentioned before how my video game collection has easily outgrown the available time I have to play, so I’m doing something about it. I have the hardware and software to record my own game videos, along with commentary. It’s going to be a little rough at first. It turns out it can be a bit tricky carrying on a conversation with yourself while also trying to play, though I’m confident it will get easier with practice. And boy is editing video and audio a time sink! I’m hoping that process also gets easier with practice.

Since doing this by myself will be a different dynamic from the shows I’ve enjoyed that usually consist of three to four people at a time, I thought I’d do some searching to find some people who also record solo and have a similar tone to what I’m going for. Along those lines, I’d like to recommend ChristopherOdd, I’ve found his videos to be well made, entertaining, and grounded. Like myself he enjoys the stories that games can tell. And while I’m recommending YouTube channels, check out chinfat. His video tutorials are incredible for anyone interesting in learning to edit videos. This post would have been delayed greatly without his expertly made content.

Although I’ve basically come to terms with the fact that I’ll most likely never have the time to play through all of the games on my shelf, I sure would like to try! My goal is to have a new episode approximately one hour in length uploaded weekly, at least to start with and then we’ll just see how it goes from there. I was originally thinking of targeting a Friday or Saturday release schedule, but with work I never really know when I’ll be traveling or what hours I’ll be working. I’ve resigned myself to just try to make sure a new episode goes up each week without focusing on a particular day.



Episode One!

First up is Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. I have fond memories of the first game in this franchise and I greatly enjoyed playing through the most recent entry. However, I have never played any games from The Sands of Time series. Join me as I rectify that and attempt to be informative and/or entertaining at the same time.

Please feel free to comment on the post or the video, especially if you have a suggestion for the next game you would like to see me play through. Chances are pretty good that not only is it on my shelf, but also that I haven’t actually played it yet.

Play nice, everyone!

Wait Your Turn!

This is a topic I’ve thought about off and on over the last few years, but more so after the recent release and apparent success of Kickstarter darling, Divinity: Original Sin. Now, I haven’t played it yet and very much would like to, I just can’t decide if I should dive in now or hold out for a potential console release. But this isn’t really about only one game.

In reading the overwhelmingly positive reviews and watching gameplay videos, the turn-based combat is frequently referred to as “old-school” and “nostalgic” which I suppose is true since the bulk of video game RPGs in the early days of the medium were all turn-based. Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, Breath of Fire, Phantasy Star and more all started with turn-based combat in the ‘80s and ‘90s, but when a new role-playing game forgoes a real-time system if favor of this strategic approach, does it have to be labeled “retro”? I guess so since these terms imply a hearkening back to things that used to be but are no longer, or considerably less common… and that’s a shame.

Necessity or Design?

Typically the “retro” elements of modern game design imitate aspects that were, in their time, much more limited due to the technical constraints of more primitive hardware and software. As technology advanced, video game development continued pushing the bounds of graphic and sound capabilities. Large pixels became smaller and smaller, 2D graphics became 3D graphics and chiptune music became actual orchestral scores as the industry chased after the fidelity achieved through film with near uniformity. New games that use pixelated graphic styles and 8 or 16-bit sound design are clear homages to gaming’s past, attempting to capture the magic many of us felt while playing the classic games of the medium’s infancy.

Was turn-based combat in early RPG games used primarily because of technical limitations? I could be way off base, but I don’t think that is why. And I suppose it’s likely that I’m wrong about that, as evidenced by the fact as the tech improves and our gaming machines become more and more powerful across the board it seems that we see fewer and fewer role-playing games implementing it. Or maybe I’m right, but enough of the industry and fan base has become so focused on the enjoyment of fast-paced action games that the impression of turn-based combat design being irrelevant was born and flourished in response. Perhaps it’s a combination.

So what does this have to do with the above-mentioned recent release? While checking out the reviews for “Divinity: Original Sin” there was one reader comment that really stuck out to me. The individual asked, “Why is it turn-based?”

Why Not?

Here is my take on the situation. My first role-playing game experience was Dragon Warrior on the NES, long before the franchise moniker was unified across the globe. It was the first game to really open my eyes to the vast complexity that video games had the potential for and would one day achieve. It was also the game that would solidify the RPG as my genre of preference. I never really had the opportunity to get into actual table-top RPGs, although I always wanted to. The lack of a reliable group of friends with similar interests didn’t stop me from educating myself about them, however. And my curiosity led me to believe that series like Dragon Warrior and Final Fantasy were trying to emulate the experience of the paper and dice affair, albeit without the multiple players and DM who improvises the story to keep up with player choice, which were technical limitations. Through those games I could enjoy a version of that despite not having the right group of like-minded friends or available time.

Taking turns is integral to nearly every table-top game, including RPGs which are hardly “old-school”. Role-playing games are today, more popular and more accepted than they’ve ever been (much like video games). It should not be seen as a limitation or a drawback, but an option. If you don’t enjoy playing games with a  turn-based component, it doesn’t mean those are not good games. Guess what? Those games are not for you. The best part of gaming in an age with so much variety is that there are plenty of games that are for you, but not all of them will be and that’s just fine. Not everything should appeal to everyone or else it all becomes homogenized and innovation takes a back seat.

Different Strokes for Different Folks

I’m not saying all role-playing games should be turn-based. In fact, I believe great games like Skyrim or From Software’s acclaimed Souls games would be absolutely ruined by changing the play style. It all comes down to personal choice, obviously. For me, the preference for turn-based combat is specific to games involving a party of multiple characters. I have tried to play several popular RPGs that used a real-time combat system while directing a party, and even the few that I did enjoy would have been a lot more fun for me had they been turn-based. Single character games like Demon’s Souls or Diablo III work very well with a real-time system. I’m currently (and slowly) working my way through Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (yeah, it’s an old game, I’ve got an extensive backlog) and I’m having a great time… until given a quest that saddles me with an AI party member that I can’t stop from acting stupid and reckless, not my cup of tea.

Games like Dragon Age: Origins that use a flexible system attempting to cater to fans of both styles are noble efforts, providing a great RPG experience to a wider range of gamer. Although I might have liked it a little bit more with a  purely turn-based scheme I was still able to play through it my way and enjoy the same game as those who preferred the real-time option. Hopefully we’ll see more games like this that are inclusive of different tastes while compromising little or none of how we like to play.

Why Is It Turn-Based?

When I read that comment posted about the review of Divinity: Original Sin I couldn’t help but hear it come across in my mind as an entitled whine, which isn’t fair but will probably still color my response to the question. It’s turn-based because when Larian Studios LLC said, “This is the game we want to make” they received well over their goal amount, and surpassed most of their stretch goals from interested backers. It’s turn-based because of the many people who’ve purchased it since it’s release, who made it the company’s fasted selling game ever. It’s turn-based because it appeals to the population of gamers who want what it offers.

Why shouldn’t it be turn-based? Because having the freedom to stop and take your time deciding between throwing a lightning bolt or a fireball at a giant troll is unrealistic? Because the pacing of the combat within a video game  that takes place in a fantastical world strays too far from the possible? Because that means it is no longer right up your alley? How about we celebrate that there is much more game variety than ever before? Whether you are into shooters, racing, sports, platformers, role-playing, puzzles, strategy or any of the other genres or sub-genres, you have plenty of options. There are numerous games available now and in development that will appeal to you, they don’t all have to appeal to you. They shouldn’t all appeal to you because we are all unique and there should be something for everyone. Welcome the diversity! Embrace the diversity!

(…deep breath…)

Sorry folks, that kind of took a turn I didn’t expect. I’m not usually this grumpy when talking about video games but I’m feeling frustrated recently and unfortunately I’m taking it out on some poor soul who made a mostly harmless comment. There’s just been too much negativity surrounding the medium as of late and it needs to stop. If you’ve been following the industry news you know what I’m talking about. Games are supposed to be fun, and they can’t be fun if not all of us are able to enjoy them and feel included. And some of “us” are behaving in a manner that ranges from unacceptable to downright abhorrent (quotations, because I certainly don’t want to be considered part of the same group despite a common hobby). Enjoying video games doesn’t mean you stop being a decent human being. Knock it off! Where was I….?

So, Divinity: Original Sin certainly looks to me to be the closest approximation in video game form of the experience of sitting around a table with a group of friends, debating how to proceed through an imaginary world full of options while wielding a handful of dice. It also gives me hope that the turn-based role-playing game will stick around. I look forward to seeing more in the future, it can only get better.

And if you don’t like turn-based games, that’s great! You just enjoy your games the way you want to, and I’ll do the same and we’ll all have a wonderful time! Simple, yeah?

Play nice, everyone!

For Love of the Trophy…. I Mean, Game

Hey there, cave dwellers! Don’t worry, I’m not dead… not yet anyway. It has been a rollercoaster of a year so far, though. With my recent promotion at work and the added responsibilities that accompany it, moving into our new house, my grandmother’s passing and installing a new front lawn, spring and summer just sailed right on by without me. It wasn’t all madness though, I was able to finish off the “God of War: Collection” and “The Sly Collection” and even get a few good books read. I began “Dragon Age Origins: Ultimate Edition” in March and have been making very slow progress since. Now that things have calmed down somewhat, it’s time to recommit myself to more of the things I need to be doing as well as things I want to be doing, writing among them.

In the Beginning…

 

 

 

 

 
My interest in video games began early with my father’s Atari. Long before the advancements in story, cut-scenes, side quests and multiple endings, some of the best times in my childhood were sitting on the couch with dad playing classics like “Breakout” or “Joust”. And the fun just got better when we added an Evil Gray Box to the family (some of you may have called this a “Nintendo”). Our new buddy Mario was really something to see in shiny 8-bit graphics, running and jumping from left to right while the iconic theme music we all know played on. But the real turning point was “Dragon Warrior”. Trying to wrap my little 10-year-old mind around such an epic quest to save the world would forever change me. I was a gamer. 

Through the NES, SNES, Master System, Genesis and Nintendo 64 I was a gamer. Of course, growing up in a large family meant that we weren’t exactly rolling in cartridges. I did rent a lot, but when your genre of choice is the turn-based rpg you don’t finish a lot of games during a standard rental period. 

Then there was a period of about 5-6 years where life… got kind of weird. It wasn’t a coma or prison, or anything like that. Let’s just say, there were no video games. I know… sad, right? But I have to say, if you’re going to check out of the video game world for a few years, the last few PS1 and first few PS2 years are the best ones to miss. Why do I say that? I’m glad you asked. Obviously I missed out on a lot of great stuff, some really killer games. How would I ever catch up? The truth is I’ll never catch up. I’m destined to be buried along with my tremendous backlog, but that’s not the point. So many of the classic games everyone else played when they first came out are being re-released over the last few years, and I imagine the trend will continue for the foreseeable future. Will the wonders of modern technology never cease to amaze? And the best part is that the games that are not simply re-released in their original form are given a nice, sparkly coat of HD, sometimes 3D, as well as…
 
…Trophies!!!

Ok, I know this topic is far from groundbreaking conversation. Anyone who’s spent any time with a gaming magazine, website or podcast has probably heard this attacked and debated from every angle, and those who don’t really play video games couldn’t care less. Need any more incentive? Me either, moving on! 

For the uninitiated, “trophies” (or “achievements” if you’re one of those people… only joking) are little notifications that magically appear on your screen after performing certain tasks or accomplishing specific goals throughout the game. Anything from defeating a boss, completing a level or using a skill “x” number of times are the most common. Each one adds a varied amount of weight or value to your total Trophy Level (or Gamerscore), usually based on the difficulty in earning it. They come in bronze, silver and gold but chief among them is the Platinum Trophy (sorry Xboxers, you’ll have to translate for yourself from here on out) which is typically earned by unlocking all other trophies within the game. This signifies that you’ve done all there is to do, seen all there is to see, found all there is… you get the idea, complete mastery! 

With regards to trophies I think there are generally two types of gamer, the “I just like to play through the game and move on to the next” gamer and the “WHERE ARE THE TROPHIES? I NEED ALL THE TROPHIES!!!” gamer. In my limited experience there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of middle ground between the two, and there’s nothing wrong with that. There are, of course, variations of those gamers. For example, there’s the gamer who values his time way too much to lust after each and every trophy available in his collection, but after finishing a great game and noticing that there are only a few he didn’t get naturally in the course of his playthrough will go ahead and knock those out and nab the platinum as a nod to the developer. On the other side of the spectrum is the gamer who, although 20-something and male, will shamelessly devote hours out of his life to something like “Hannah Montana” for an easy boost to his Trophy Level. There might be something wrong with that…
 
Which One Are You?

Early in the PS3 lifecycle it wasn’t even a question, as Sony was a little late to the party with trophy support for their games. I just played the games I had the way I wanted to play them. By nature I’m something of a completionist, I don’t like to leave games unbeaten. I tend to be thorough and do my best to find all of the hidden secrets and trinkets I can, but mainly I want see how it ends. I’m much more invested in the characters and the story than whether or not I gathered all of the (fill in the blank) scattered throughout the level. I want to know for myself that I finished the adventure, saved the world, etc. and then boot up the next quest. What’s the point of replaying the entire game on a harder difficulty level if I already know where the story goes? Where’s my incentive to keep hunting down all of the arbitrary collectibles once the plot twists have been revealed? Enter the trophy system. 

At first it didn’t really affect the way I chose to enjoy video games. While playing something like “Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune” (great game, epic series, highly recommended!) I might hear that little chime and see the upper right corner flash something like 50% of treasures found! and think, “That’s cool” and carry on. I might even check out the list of trophies in the game out of curiosity and see things like, Kill 10 enemies with a grenade while hanging on a cliff or Beat the game on insanely brutal difficulty level and say, “Yeah… I’m not going to do that. I would like to play a different game sometime this year.” Then I played a little game called “Assassin’s Creed II”. Through the natural course of my playthrough I had earned all but a small handful of the trophies in the game, and the ones I didn’t get were neither extreme or repetitive, or even extremely repetitive. They all simply required trying a few different game mechanics I hadn’t explored and it took no time at all to jump back into the world and earn my very first platinum. It just went downhill from there.

Do Trophies Ruin the Experience?
 
That first platinum trophy, albeit digital and completely intangible, has the potential to spark something inside that’s akin to “gold fever” depending on your natural inclinations. In a competition-saturated medium where bragging rights are the envy, trophies become your currency. Even if you don’t play a lot of competitive-oriented games, the gratification that comes from seeing that trophy pop, knowing that you’ve mastered that title, can be great.  But whether or not the hunt for trophies takes away from the fun of the experience, I think, depends a lot on the individual. If getting as many as you can, as fast as you can is really where the fun lies for you, go crazy! More power to you! If story and character development are more your bag, be warned that serious trophy hunting will often lead to spoilers. Keep in mind, if chasing them down begins to feel like a chore, you might want to reevaluate how much trophies mean to you. 

Exercise some judgment, this is your free time and you should spend it in a way you find rewarding. Slogging through “Demon’s Souls” for multiple playthroughs to get the platinum was at times extremely hard and brutally frustrating, but I loved it in a self-deprecating kind of way. “3D Dot Game Heroes” on the other hand, while a great game and a must for any original “Legend of Zelda” fan, would have probably cost me my sanity. Beating the game once was good enough. 

Above all it’s just a game, and games are supposed to be fun. If you’re not having any fun then you’re no longer playing, you’re working. And if you’re working it had better be paying the bills or you’re just wasting your time. Put it down and play something that is fun, in a way that is fun for you. Game on!!!