Ben isn’t a video-gamer. Oh, he’s a gamer: I’ve never seen a board game that Ben couldn’t dominate after thirty minutes of playing, he is wicked good at laser tag, and we still tell stories about “The Grom” from a tabletop RPG we last played eight years ago. And he’s usually up for anything.
What was the best game you ever played? The one that you really got wrapped up in? That one that gave you a pure, unadulterated shot of endorphins every time a beep was made? That beep that let your Skinner Box-trained mind know that you had done a good job? Because for me that game was called, “Kickstarter.”
“Why do we have to move?” I asked.
In my head, I can hear the tone of my voice. It’s hard to listen to. I’m actually whining.
“It’s not fair!” I screamed, and stormed out of the house. I grabbed my backpack from the station wagon and headed down the hill, across the field, and to the horse barn. I scrambled up the hay elevator and found a corner by the window. It was hot.
Divinity: Original Sin may be the best RPG of its kind in years.
It is smartly written, patiently paced, fun to play and hard enough that success feels like an accomplishment. Set in a complicated world that developer Larian Studios has been tinkering with for years, its narrative comes with a rich lore already in place and an easy confidence in its history and foundations.
At the risk of sounding like a Penthouse Forum letter: I always thought these kinds of stories were made up, until it happened to me. I decided to marry someone because of a videogame. And both the game, and the woman, are extraordinary.
Among The Sleep is a first person exploration game in the vein of Gone Home, but it's about being a 2 year old. That’s a good thing.
Among The Sleep is absolutely terrifying, and had me jumping in shock many times in its short, three hour story. That’s also a good thing.
“There is nothing.”
Solve.
And from the solution, the stirrings of a beginning: awareness, the self, knowledge. And from those beginnings, a spiral of want, growth, memory, regret – the stuff of life.
One thing I’ll say about Blizzard is that they sure do know how to make a good expansion. That’s not to say they nail it every time, but when they do get the secret sauce mixed up just right, it goes down smooth.
"The vehicles in Half-Life 2 control like crap," I sigh.
"That's only because you're playing on Xbox," my friend retorts. "Shooters are better with a mouse and keyboard."
"Bull," I curse back.
"Ooooh!" I exclaim excitedly, tapping my stylus to the 3DS screen. The old lady had slipped up; I am certain. All I need to do is figure out where to present the proper evidence.
This namby pamby granny has been trying to make the case that her back was causing her so much trouble she could barely walk. Alright, I can buy it. A stout little Mrs.
