Games 1

[walleye]

I'd always been into games since I was a kid (first my Magic School Bus games era, then my Zoo Tycoon 2 era, then my Neopets era, then Gaia Online, and then after a huge break back to PC gaming again). My gamer journey was rough but I made it!

Here's Round 1 of Games that have had a huge impact on me!

Stardew Valley

This game changed my life because it’s the only one that I had multiple playthroughs of, something that is usually not feasible due to my attention span and ability to get bored very fast. While I was playing my first playthrough of this game, even when I wasn't actively playing, I couldn't stop thinking about all the starfruit wine I would make and the junimos I might see. I love to clean when I am stressed...I love to clear things and make room. And this game is just that! Water your plants. Love your cows and give them care. Go fishing. There is a hat mouse. And a bear who has knowledge. I love pixel art and Eric Barone inspires me so much to just go and make the thing that I want! And that it is ok for it to be just for me. That I don’t have to satisfy other people or necessarily be productive to be happy. The only thing is that the game’s pescetarian, not vegetarian, but I can let that slide.

Even now I am waiting for a letter from some possibly estranged relative to come in and say that we have a family farm somewhere that I could go to to escape from Corporate Life. The other alternative is I leave Corporate Life and find a way to be happy by making games and other things I like but that is far down the line. But this game gives me hope that something like that is possible.





AH...A CRAB CAKES!

Hidden Folks

 

Handmade sound effects! Cute doodle style! What's not to love? Finding stuff is so relaxing. I love being able to just click...I think that’s what has been missing from a lot of these digital Where’s Waldo style games: I want points just for clicking. The easter eggs that come from just clicking make this game incredibly satisfying, even when you can’t find what you need (which in itself is kind of hard). An honorable mention to Hidden Through Time which is the semi-ripoff that has been keeping me afloat until they come out with new levels for Hidden Folks. There is also a very horny looking game in the same genre but...I really don't want to go there.

Every day I check the Hidden Folks twitter just to see when the new levels will come out, the dopamine I got out of this was really something else.

 

Grim Fandango

This game has really hard puzzles, and I do not understand how people were able to complete this in 1998 without the help of online guides (I guess they did have print guides. But still!). But the story and setting of this game are just so detailed and beautiful, and I particularly love the seedy town of Rubacava with its communist jazz bars and deep sea nautical aesthetic. I had taken a several month long break before going back to play the game and I’m really glad that I did because it was very inspirational in its art style and setting. I would love to just hang out at Olivia’s club and listen to crappy poetry over watered down drinks. The atmosphere in that game did THAT.

That's all for now, I'll come back soon with another round of games I love (maybe even some of the super old ones!)