Leapfrogging

Sometimes I just can't decide what I want to play and find myself bouncing back and forth between a few different games.  That's where I'm at right now, doing a little bit of this and a little bit of that.  Other than my inability to settle on one game, I've also been feeling a bit sad about the sudden demise of TellTale Studios.

Bouncing!

After I finished Two Point Hospital, I felt the inevitable crushiness of the "game hole."  "What do I play now?" as I stare at my Steam library and try to make a decision.  I don't know about other people, but I usually have at least one really weird period of time where I just stare at my giant list of games AND CANNOT MAKE UP MY MIND!  I decided to take to the store page and see if anything looked good--there's a new Tomb Raider game (but I usually wait till those go on sale for super cheap, because they inevitably will), there's a new Valkyria Chronicles game (also, a game that I will wait for a sale for)--the store page looked like kind of a bust, but one game did make a strange appearance on the top sellers list--CrossCode.  I decided to check it out and was intrigued by what it offered; a pixel graphics, SNES-inspired, ARPG-like, with a strong story.  The best part of the whole packages is that it was $16.99--a relative bargain!

Lea, the main character of CrossCode, meets many engaging characters.

I snatched up CrossCode like a delicious waffle on a Sunday morning.  CrossCode starts off with an unnamed character who is apparently trying to rescue someone who is important to her.  After a brief combat tutorial, your character finds who they are looking for, but something unexpected happens and all of a sudden this character wakes up in a completely different place--a ship that happens to be part of a huge, virtual MMO.  Your original character is now an avatar and is introduced to the mechanics of this new world through a series of tutorials.  At the end of the tutorial, the ship is attacked by a mysterious villain-like character who seems to have it out for you.  The crew of the ship helps defend you and you are transported to the beginners zone of the game world.  Your goal is to participate in the MMO and to work to unlock your memories to discover who you really are (the mysterious character at the beginning of the game).  Recovering your memories is complicated by the fact that your avatar's voice function is defective and you can only say "Hi!"  (A tech character named Sergey is working to recover your communication abilities and more one word responses get slowly added in).

So far, I've been mostly enjoying CrossCode.  Since the story is taking place in a virtual MMO, there are a lot of aspects of MMO's and MMO humor built into it.  The other characters that are part of the story are similar to many people you actually find playing MMO's--one of your initial encounters is with a character of your same class who decides that he needs to show you he is superior and challenges you to a duel.  The guy keeps randomly popping up and talking smack until you finally agree to duel him.  Yup, that's about right.  You also encounter helpful characters who end up becoming your pals and who will team up with you.

The gameplay is ARPG-like and you can face off against groups of enemies throughout many zones.  Unlike ARPG's, CrossCode also features a large amount of puzzles or puzzle-like features.  Simply navigating the map is a little bit like solving a puzzle--maps are made of of tiered features that can be navigated by finding certain places where your character can climb up and then figuring out how to get back to specific areas.  The puzzles themselves are fairly straightforward, but I am a little worried that many of them seem to be built around quick reflexes (like performing one action and very quickly having to move to another or manipulating 2 things very quickly).  I don't think my reflexes are what they once were and that I might struggle with some of the more difficult reflex puzzles.  I'm also a fool for knowing that games with a lot of clicking tend to make my wrist sore.

Trailer ownership allows you to add many customizable features to your trailers.

My other bounce between game has been EuroTruck Simulator 2.  I was excited by the most recent big content patch which added in several new and fun features.  The feature that people seem to be the most excited about is the ability to buy and modify your own trailers.  I am still not completely certain what the benefit is of owning your own trailers (maybe jobs pay more because you're using your own equipment?), but I do know that you can add unique paint jobs and other cosmetic features.  If personalization is your thing, owning your own trailers offers you another chance to make your trucks feel like your own.  A new DLC pack which offers new Krone trailers also dropped (for me, ETS2 DLC is usually a sale item).

The latest patch also offered an overhaul to the management UI as well as some graphical upgrades to some German cities.  I decided to scoop up the Italia DLC because it was on sale and am looking forward to some peaceful drives through the sunny Mediterranean.  It's really great that they continue to add content into ETS2 and that there is a large community of players who enjoy a truck driving sim.

Sad News

The sad news this week was that TellTale Games, makers of choice-based story games like The Walking Dead, suddenly closed.  This is particularly sad for players of The Walking Dead series who have been devotedly following the story of Clementine, and who had been looking forward to the latest (and what was to be the last) installment of her story.  Since the news of the studio closing, the newest season has been pulled from Steam and other digital platforms.  Originally it sounded like they were going to try to finish rolling out the series, but now it looks like it won't happen.

Group hug to remember TellTale Games.

Probably the worst part of the whole TellTale debacle is that the studio closed with virtually no notice--employees were basically told that they didn't have a job any more and were let go with no severance pay.  It's a sad end for a studio that had niched itself a unique place in the gaming spectrum.

I really enjoyed the storytelling and difficult moral choices in The Walking Dead and the ability to see what choices other players made.  Tales From the Borderlands is another of my favorites and I was surprised that the game could be so humorous but also still be strongly choice based--plus, it had some of the best musically scored moments.  This isn't to say that the games were perfect; there was much criticism that the games hinged strongly on the illusion of choice and anyone who had ever decided to buy a series at release knows how horrible those releases actually were--games were released that were full of bugs and it became completely normal to expect that release dates were more like soft targets that would inevitably be pushed back by weeks (or even months).  It got to the point where I wouldn't buy any TellTale games until the full series had been released--it just wasn't worth the frustration anymore.

I'm no expert and don't have any in-depth knowledge about why TellTale collapsed, but it really felt like after The Walking Dead became such a success that they went CRAZY.  There were so many new series and many of them seemed like really strange choices (Minecraft?).  Part of me feels like they bit off way more than they could chew.  Maybe they would still be around if they decided to focus on improving their successful products rather than trying to branch out in a million different directions?  I read something that mentioned that they stubbornly kept using their proprietary engine even though it was really difficult to program certain things.  

But who knows, I'm definitely not someone who understands game development or the gaming industry.  I hope all the employees who worked for TellTale land on their feet and thank them for the stories and great moments that they did create.

A Little of This and a Little of That

Lately, my habit has been to bounce back and forth between several games which means that I don't really have one specific game to write about.  I attribute this inability to focus on the fact that it's May--the school year is winding down and my teacher brain is functioning at a fairly low level by the time I get home after work.  Plus, the end of the school year is notoriously crammed full of different events, functions, meetings, and other random obligations that gobble up chunks of time.  Yeah, it all basically amounts to me just picking something generally soothing to play just to relax for a little while.

My beautiful truck.

My first choice for relaxation is EuroTruck Simulator 2.  I had played quite a bit of ETS2, but had set it aside in favor of playing new games I had bought or older games that I've been replaying and reviewing.  The nice thing about ETS2 is that it's easy to hop back into the game after time away.  The other really nice thing about ETS2 is that there are continued updates to content and random events.  Right now there is a in-game EuroTruck racing event going on (read about it here).  No, you're not actually racing trucks, but you are delivering racing components to different locations in Europe.  Your goal is to deliver twelve loads of racing components to twelve different cities (the trips must be over 200 km).  For completing the event players can unlock a variety of in-game and Steam items--a unique racing themed paint job, a racer bobblehead for the interior of your truck, and three different pennants.  These random events are a fun way to keep people involved and the in-game rewards are unique.

SCS seems dedicated to keeping ETS2 fresh and are also updating the game to make it look more modern.  Germany is getting a big revamp and other areas are to follow.  There's also news that the next DLC will add the Baltic States.  All this new content has me excited to grow my company "Keep on Truckin'" and explore more of Europe.

When I'm not driving my EuroTruck, I've found myself back in the floating world of Columbia in BioShock:  Infinite.  I've already played through it several times, so there's no surprises in the story, but I'm enjoying going back and paying attention to the small details.  The skylines are one of the best additions to the game--it's insanely fun to zip around on them and then deliver a leaping death blow to guards below.

Elizabeth is a great companion.

I've been thinking alot about Elizabeth as a character.  At first I wasn't so sure that I liked her much as a companion, but I am finding that there are many things that I enjoy about Elizabeth.  I like how in the beginning she's so naive and that her excitement is so palpable.  It's always heartwarming to break her out of her tower and then watch her dancing on the beach.  As the story progresses you see that innocent charm melt away--she sees all the killing and evil and it very clearly impacts her.  I watch how brilliantly her body language changes throughout the game--she's animated to reflect all those changes in her attitude--she goes from a giddy, prancing girl to a serious, calculating woman all within the span of the game.  It's something I haven't focused on much--there are so many bonkers pieces of the story to figure out--but I am having a newfound respect for.

The fact that Elizabeth aids you in combat is also something that I enjoy.  All too often your video game companions are either squishy escort missions who require extra guarding or are invincible side quests that you can mostly ignore.  Elizabeth definitely falls within the second category, but it's refreshing to see her play a role in the world--she will automatically take cover and help you in combat--throwing you ammo, salts, or health when you need it or opening tears to allow access to weapons, materials, or terrain.  She can pick locks and help you solve codes.  Yeah, she isn't just some daft girl who needs saving and I'm glad she was written that way.

The last game that I've given a little bit of time to is American Truck Simulator.  I decided to buy the New Mexico DLC when it was last on sale and wanted to check out the additional content.  New Mexico adds a lot of stunning scenery to the already beautiful American West as well as many, many more miles of roads to traverse and cities to visit.  SCS has said that they will be adding more states to ATS and I look forward to the addition of my home state of Oregon in the near future.  It's definitely fun seeing the U.S. translated into the game, but I've found that I actually prefer EuroTruck Simulator to its American counterpart.  There's just something really fun and foreign about navigating the European roadways.

Whatever you're playing or doing, enjoy the extra long Memorial Day weekend!

Tranquility

It's May.  If you're not a teacher, that's probably not something you really care much about.  If you are a teacher then you will understand that May is not only a month, but also the feeling that you've run a marathon and you're on mile 20--the end is near, but not near enough!  You're tired, your patience is running thin, and you just generally want to get the thing over with.  I've completely reached this point (and, thanks to the magnificently snowy, cold El Niño this winter that end has been extended by a week--another 2 miles added onto the marathon) and all I look forward to at the end of the day is coming home and unwinding.  This unwinding includes playing games that would definitively fall into the "casual" and "relaxing" categories.  I have a few go-to relaxers that I turn to when I'm feeling the May crush.

1.) Stardew Valley

For some weird reason I've been spending a great deal of time down on the ol' farm.  I'm not even sure that I have any aims or goals.  At first it was simply about trying to experience the new content that was added to the game during year or so that I hadn't played.  Now, I'm just enjoying the challenge in trying to maximize my production and earn as much money as I can.  I suppose I am working toward building some of the expensive and fancy new magical buildings.

There's something soothing about the daily routine that you find yourself falling into as you play--it's repetitive, but it doesn't feel like a grind.  There aren't many games out there that can manage that exact concept without getting boring very quickly.

If you're finding that you need a little relaxation, I would recommend finding your favorite relaxing playlist and taking a virtual vacation on your happy little farm.

2.) Euro Truck Simulator 2

A glamor shot of my ETS2 truck.  Ain't it purty?

I was extremely shocked by how easily I fell into loving Euro Truck Simulator 2.  It's a game where you drive virtual big rigs around Europe (there's also some lightweight management, but it's more about the driving).  The trucks and landscapes are beautifully detailed so even though you're doing nothing more than maneuvering around the highway there are oodles to take in.  So simple, but so relaxing....definitely worth every penny.

Even though I own ETS2 and it's little brother truck driving game, American Truck Simulator, I will always opt for Europe.  There's something about the difference between the highway systems that makes Europe much more appealing to me.

3.) Viscera Cleanup Detail

Like ETS2, Viscera Cleanup Detail was a game that I never expected to enjoy.  It's a quirky game about cleaning up the grisly remains of science fiction inspired disasters.  For reasons that I can't completely understand there is something very, very satisfying about picking up body parts and mopping up puddles of goo.  Maybe it's seeing a level completely covered with gore and then seeing that same level sparklingly clean?  Maybe it's simply the satisfaction in a job well-done?  Who knows?

I find that listening to some nice, soothing music while playing is a fabulous way to relax.  Being a huge nerd, I usually like to listen to the soundtracks from other games.  I've made playlists that include music from The Witcher series, World of Warcraft, Dragon Age, and a few others.  I also enjoy downtempo or ambient when I'm feeling like something calming.

If you're feeling a little stressed or like you want a break from the intense world of competitive games, check out these three games.  When combined with your favorite low-key tunes they are the perfect formula for relaxation.