I did this last month, and I think it went really well. So, I think I’m going to do it again. If nothing else, it helps keep me on track, so I don’t lose myself in starting and stopping multiple games. Also, it gives a bit of a preview of things I will probably be writing about in the coming weeks.
As with last time, let’s start with games I’ve been playing and some general thoughts on each experience.
Celeste – I’m still playing this one. I had intended to be done when I completed the last C-Side, but when I finally did that, I got the sudden urge to go one step further and try to get the Golden Strawberries, which require you to complete each level without dying. This is much, much, much more difficult than collecting all of the strawberries, or even completing all chapters. At the time of this writing, I have collected five golden strawberries, and I am very, very close to obtaining my sixth. At a grand total of 25, though, I honestly don’t know how long it’s going to take me to complete it all, especially since I have to take periodic breaks during my attempts to give my hands a rest.
Caesar III – I’ve picked this one back up to again try and be a good Roman leader. I’m not, of course. My people are hungry, the gods are angry at me, and there are fires everywhere. I’ve actually drafted my wife into helping me as my coach.
Sanitarium – I finished this one. I have a lot of thoughts, but I’m not sure yet how I’m going to express them. I think this one might be a lot longer than my usual posts as I intend to do kind of a deep dive on the topic of engaging with problematic texts that you really enjoy.
JumpJet Rex – I don’t really get what’s going on in this game, and I don’t really need to. I’m a dinosaur, and I have jet boots. And I have to make it back to earth to save my dinosaur brethren from impending doom at the hands of a comet careening toward the planet. Of course, I am well aware how this story probably ends, so I look forward to JumpJet Rex’s inevitable existential crisis and survivor’s guilt.
What’s coming up?
This month, I intend to continue on through a lot of what I wrote about last month. These are all longer games, so I usually spend a little bit of time on each one throughout the month until it grips me and I feel compelled to just knock it out.
Dark Souls – I had intended to go back to this one once I completed Celeste as my go-to difficult game in my rotation. Since my Celeste play-through, however, has extended, I may have to wait a little longer on this one.
Hollow Knight – I’m continuing on my quest. I have completed one more area, and I am just wandering. Looking for the next path that’s open to me.
Majesty: The Fantasy Kingdom Sim – My eternal quest to find a sim game I’m actually good at continues. I put Caesar III on hold for a bit to try this one out. I’m still not very good at building a kingdom and maintaining it. However, I think the quest based system in this game makes it slightly easier for me to grasp. Rather than juggling population, favorability, peace, culture, etc., as in Caesar III, I’m given a single task — such as, go to this place on the map and defeat the wizard — and I build my kingdom for the purpose of achieving that task. Again, still crap at it. But, I can at least process what I need to do in this game, even if I can’t do it.
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So, what about you? Anything caught your fancy lately?