Blog: Books Read in 2019

Ok.

I'm on Good Reads

Blog: Video Games of January 2019

I feel like I did a fairly good job of managing my play time in January.  I'm closing in on finishing my thesis, and so I've been playing in those times when I need to just stop thinking. Fortunately I've found a good set of games to play when I've got the right moment.

My top five games (by play time) for January 2019 were:

1. Breath of Fire II - I have a lot of nostalgia for the Breath of Fire series. The first game definitely has the strongest nostalgia hit, but it also has a lot of problems. I'm less nostalgic for the second, but it is better designed than the first. Even if it's a bit slow and grindy, it's been a nice way to unwind.
   
   

   

   Great! That'll do in place of a plot!



2. Pokémon Go - Have nice weather, will stop for a couple of minutes to catch monsters.
   
   

   

   The Guardian Bidoof protects us.



3. Animal Crossing: Amiibo Festival - Into year two, still enjoying. The game lets you add new elements to your town, and we've very conservatively added just a little bit at a time, which has helped keep things fresh. The other fresh aspect is that the game is a little different each month.
   
   

   

   Happy New Year, Isabelle!



4. Invisible Inc. - I went back to Invisible Inc after getting super frustrated trying to play it a while ago. I've really enjoyed it on this revisit, but playing it the way it wants to be played stealthy and risky really works. It also helps to lean into the rogue like (lite?) elements and accept that easy play through might not be perfect.
   
   

   

   Are you ready operator?



5. Into The Breach - I've been working in pomedoros a lot during January and it works out that a map of Into The Breach can be finished in the break between work periods.
   
   

   

   He's a laugh riot at parties.

Here's my total play time chart for January:

And here's a chart of how much I've played over the month:

Blog: Books Read in 2019

Nerds. Nerds.

I'm on Good Reads

Blog: Games of November 2018

I'm not super happy with how I spent my play time this month, especially because I found myself playing more out of frustration / burnout than relaxation or fun.

My top five games (by play time) for November were:

1. Civilization VI - Well, this is the game I play when I'm avoiding getting the stuff that needs to get done, done. I'm feeling behind on practically everything, and, embarrassingly, it's been much easier to pick this up "for a minute" rather than work. The problem is, that minute often expands out to be a lot more than a minute.  So my goal for December is to, a) relax, b) focus, c) get stuff done, and d) feel good when I do play.
   
   

   

   It has been created. Next Turn!

   
   On the not of the actual game, side I actually feel like I'm finally figuring the game out a little. I even caved and picked up the Rise and Fall Expansion. I'm not sure I'm actually getting good, but I have learned. Further I've accepted that not every game is going to be a game I enjoy playing until the end and it's okay to go back to the early game part where I was having fun. I also really the aesthetic of the game, the same thing I thought the first time I played is that it still calls back the things I loved from Civ I and II.
   


2. Ogre Battle 64 - While I'm accepting things, I'm accepting that I can love this game for the feeling it gives me even when a huge portion of it makes no sense.
   
   

   

   Happy Place.

   
   


3. Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - I still haven't beaten the Master Sword challenge. I have been trying to pick up some better techniques and skills and I feel like, except for the part I can't do, I'm getting good.
   
   

   

   Little Silver Jerks. 

   
   


4. Animal Crossing: Amiibo Festival - As part of a routine of relaxing this game just keeps giving. It also has an incredibly slow reward system - costumes for the amiibo characters - which might just keep us playing for another year. Animal Crossing for life!
   
   

   

   Animal Crossing is mostly Animal Capitalism.

   
   


5. Pokémon Go - Between being behind and it being colder out, I've been playing a little bit less the last month.
   
   

   

   We're slow and that's ok.

   
   

Here's my total play time chart for November:

And here's a chart of how much I've played over the month:

Blog: Books Read in 2018

Direction

Good Reads

Blog: Books Read in 2018

Fantasy!

Good Reads

Blog: Books Read in 2018

Dakota!

Good Reads

Blog: Games of July 2018

I was pretty focused on work and watching football in July, so ended up not playing a lot. Also Dan Floyd started playing Kingdom Hearts, ProJared started playing Illusion of Gaia, and Chuggaconroy started playing  Earthbound, so I've suddenly been watching way more than my usual allotment of Let's Plays. All this reduced the usual amount I play, but I've had a lot of fun with what I've played.

My top five games (by play time) for July were:

1. Paper Mario: Color Splash - I'm 100%ing this game (ish*) and so I've ended up putting quite a bit of time into wandering around and hitting things with hammers, when necessary. I've also been playing with my partner watching for the most part, which has been a lot of fun (plus *someone* gets to see all the jokes).
   
   

   

   My research would have gone way faster if I had a science claw. - Wait no, the other thing. Slower. Much. Much. Slower.

   
   
2. Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - I'm still not good enough at the Master Sword Quest (well technically at fighting a pair of Silver Lizalfos) so I'm still just trying to git good.
   
   

   

   Look, I've been on the Sword Trials for a loooong time now.



3. Mario Golf: World Tour - Playing mostly on lunch. I'm surprised at how oddly they have the unlocks structured, none of the playable characters are available until after you unlock all the courses, and to unlock anything you have to complete some fairly tough challenges to get coins. I'm also a little disappointed that they implemented the club house, but then most of the actual content of the game has to be accessed through the main menu, a little more "role play" might have worked nicely.
   
   

   

   Sniper Luigi - Via Super Mario Wiki



4. Pokémon Go - Uh, yeah. Back on this train. Friends help. So does the rebalance in items. I think they've done really good work on this game recently, and I've really been enjoying this.
   
   

   

   Leveling Up



5. Animal Crossing: Amiibo Festival - Another month, more coffee, Animal Crossing and Chill. The game has 12 months, which changes the events and the length of the game. We've been keeping ourselves to only playing the current month, which keeps the game fresh and fun (and makes us say "We should play one more time while it's still July".)
   
   

   

   Fancy Brother / Sister Game Day

Here's my total play time chart for July:

And here's a chart of how much I've played over the month:

* I've decided not to get all of the cards as that just seems to be a bit more time than I'd like to spend on this game.