VIDEO GAME: SteamWorld Dig (2013)

by benmweilertNo Comments
SteamWorld DigYear: 2013Rating: E10+Time Played: 366 minutes / 6.10 hours I was loosely aware of the SteamWorld games, having picked up several for free over the years on various platforms like the Epic Games Store. Fittingly enough, the first game from the series I ended up playing was SteamWorld Dig via Steam on my SteamDeck. This robot western Metroidvania was limited in its scope, but executed its exploration aspect well. I always appreciate games that are short but not too short, and this one certainly scratched that itch. Still, it retains the visual feel of a game that came out over a decade ago. The base gameplay loop in SteamWorld Dig revolves around finding gems to pay for upgrades to your mining equipment, which allows you to find more gems and dig deeper into the ground. One thing I learned early on was to dig in a way that allowed me to go back up if I needed to. Far too often,...
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VIDEO GAME: Sable (2021)

by benmweilertNo Comments
SableYear: 2021Rating: ETime Played: 1,092 minutes / 18.20 hours Every once in a while, I’ll get a game for free via Epic Games that makes me want to jump right in and play it. Despite having hundreds of other games I’ve claimed for free in my library, I loaded up Sable and started exploring. I’m still trying to fill the “climb things, then jump off and glide” game mechanic that I enjoyed in Breath of the Wild that Genshin Impact partially met. The adventure aspect of Sable appealed to me, but the art style made me want to download it and play through it immediately. The cel-shaded style of this game is something I hadn’t seen in other games before. Honestly, it’s the game’s greatest appeal. The scenery feels hollow and desolate, which matches the sci-fi sandy crash of a group of colonizing spaceships. And while there’s not a ton of lore to speak of, there are definitely a lot of interesting...
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VIDEO GAME: A Short Hike (2019)

by benmweilertNo Comments
A Short Hike Year: 2019 Rating: E Time Played: ~2 hours I'm starting to like the open-world format of some video games. Sure, there's a broad goal the player is trying to accomplish, but sometimes the most fun comes from the little sidequests that you encounter along the way. Of course, the best sidequests help the player ultimately achieve the game's goal by rewarding a useful item or ability. A Short Hike is a prime example of how to do the open-world format. As an indie game, the big-name developers should take notes here. While the "low quality" visuals initially put me off, you eventually get used to them. This is basically my only gripe with the game, as it's clearly hiding some of the cut corners of its development. As someone who enjoys hiking to the top of mountains, I liked the gameplay with a somewhat loose motivation to get to the top of this island mountain. Sure, the plot is touching when you...
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