News of the Week

Sadly, I don't have much personal gaming news to report this week.  I'm still deeply mired in my bonkers desire to "git gud" at Against the Storm.  I was within a hairs breadth of conquering the gold seal and then managed to fail like a dumb-dumb (at viceroy level you absolutely need to be utilizing rainwater and I stupidly thought I could pull it off without it).  I've been gradually working my way back and swearing that I won't make the same mistakes (spoiler--I probably will!).  Anyway, there has been some noteworthy gaming news this week to ponder.

Notable New Releases

One of my favorite simulation games, PowerWash Simulator, dropped a new Warhammer 40k themed content pack.  I'm only vaguely familiar with the Warhammer 40k franchise--I know that it's a space-themed deal with humans and orcs...and that's about the extent of my knowledge.  I just love me some powerwashing, so there's a good chance I'll grab it at some point despite the fact I have virtually 0 knowledge of the related content.  The reviews for the DLC are mixed with many people stating that they are disappointed because it's all vehicles and there aren't any rooms/buildings.  Here's the trailer for those who might be curious:

If you're feeling a desire for those strong nostalgia vibes, a remaster of 1995's Star Wars: Dark Forces came out this week.  It was hailed as a pretty good Star Wars  game in its day and the remaster currently has "very positive" reviews.  Some of the reviews do point out that there are some issues with the remaster and that the $30 price tag seems a bit steep.  It might be worth waiting for a sale on this one.

Layoffs continue

EA announced this week that it will be laying off 5% of its workforce and cancelling an upcoming Star Wars game (apparently one that was in early development).  This is just the latest in a chain of layoffs in the gaming industry as many other big names have also made cuts to staff.  Apparently they're hoping to focus on their own titles and move away from work on "licensed IP."  I guess that if you're a fan of all those Star Wars games that you'll have to content yourself with the current offerings. (Here's a short article about the layoffs: EA to Lay off Around 670 Workers)

I'm going to be continuing my mad march toward that dang gold seal in Against the Storm this week and hope that everyone else has a great time pursuing their gaming dreams (be they mad or on a more sane level).  Game on!