Satisfactory. It hit 1.0 about a month ago and I've been chipping away at a new world. It is so satisfying to build a working factory and figuring out the right input rate for your resources...it just feels so zen like.
I'm also weirdly feeling an itch to purchase and get into either Pokemon Scarlet or Violet. I can't explain it, but I've apparently crossed the threshold of holding off and it just keeps floating around in my head.
I think it's fair to say that I would remember SOME things that took a lot longer to figure out the first time, but the specifics are gone that I still could not finish the game outright if I reinstalled it right now.
Also I've had two kids since it first came out and my memory is shot so that helps too!
Agreed. I've played the game twice, once when it came out and the second when the DLC came out. Fortunately enough time passes, you can easily forget the puzzle solutions and just lose yourself in the world again.
Hmm...440 hours on Steam...probably another 125 on the Switch...
I love this game. It's so cozy and comfortable. I found SDV after my divorce just when it had originally released and I was drawn into the cute world and how much character oozes from every corner. Every person you meet has something going on or you can just be a weird hermit building out your farm in peace. There's enough of a story to propel you forward but never overbearing and it gets out of the way when it's "done".
As time has gone on from my first playthrough, I'll typically dive back in when the itch strikes or a new content update comes along. The last few playthroughs I've done a lot to mod the game and introduce new things into the world to discover, some of which just feels indistinguishable from the official content and others that just help reduce barriers that I want to skip over (like fishing).
Stardew Valley is a game I will likely always go back to. I'm sure it will eventually eclipse my current most played game (Team Fortress 2 @ ~800 hours). I've tried other games like it and while they're fun, none seem to have the staying power that Stardew has over me. While I will absolutely check out his next game, I'm hoping Stardew Valley never really stops being updated over the years.
We're deep into second kiddo territory (6 weeks) and I think I'm just feeling a bit burned out. The jump from zero to one child is HUGE and there was a lot of mourning the loss of our freedom/life for both my wife and I. We're feeling the same dip now that we're back into dealing with a newborn ~2 years later and while not as severe, I can tell for myself it's there and bothering me. I've also been back to work the last three weeks so my schedule is basically go to work (from home) all day, take the baby most of the evening while we chase a 2 year old around, get the 2 year old to bed, then hand off the new kiddo around 8:30 - 9 so I can go to bed and I get them back somewhere around 10-11 depending on the last bottle for the rest of the night. Both kids have been good sleepers (thank god) but I'm still getting woken up somewhere around 3am for that middle of the night bottle.
No time for really much else. I know intuitively it will get better because I saw it happen before, it's just rough right now. No time for the mrs, hobbies, friends, etc...and I think we were figuring it out with number one really well. Just all hitting me the last few days.
Luckily both kids are freaking adorable and the older one is overflowing with personality as they're learning, saying, repeating more and more from daycare. It's been awesome to see them just explode in their development. I also understand now why some parents would have leashes for their toddlers.
I think original Sims made the biggest impact on me since I probably played that one the most. Our PC couldn't handle The Sims 2 when it came out, and I only tangentially tried 3 and 4. Mostly enough to build a cool house and spend a few days with the Sims I created. Sims 1 I probably poured a ton of hours into it.
One thing I did discover and never fully completed in the later games was trying to do some sort of haunted house family. As in, have someone move in and intentionally die in a way that created a new color of ghost. Get all of the different ghost colors in one house/lot then move a normal family in. I don't think it really mattered in any way, I just loved the idea of a regular family cohabitating with a rainbow of ghosts.
There's something both so unique and also so simple to the Sims that I'm surprised it's taken this long for folks to try and "go for it" the way Cities:Skylines went for Sim City. Like, you have to craft interesting stories within the game but you don't need to wholecloth invent a galactic empire/fantasy world/etc...you can broadly look at our world and copy/paste for inspiration. With Paralives and Life By You "coming soon" in some fashion, there's going to be some interesting competition here.
We just had our second kid so any games have to basically be on the phone right now. Luckily, someone mentioned Wildfrost in the same breath as Slay the Spire and it has been awesome to play while holding the little one.
It’s a card/deck builder rogue like, but you’re deploying units into one of two lanes and positioning them for maximum effect. Each unit counts down until it attacks, but you have a handful of cards to directly attack as well. You run until you fight the final boss, unlock more stuff along the way, etc…it’s been a blast. The art style is cute (how big can Yuki’s snowball get? Try and find out!) and I love the soundtrack.
On iOS at least, the game is free to download and try out before purchasing (think it was $7). If you like Slay the Spire and similar games, well worth looking into!
If you want to pay for audiobooks, Libro.FM is a DRM free alternative that allows you to easily download your books without any issues that Libation solves for. It also supports local bookstores in your community while not giving more to Amazon. Only a handful of books aren’t available on Libro but it’s been a seamless transition for us. It’s only going to be difficult if you’re one of those folks who returns/refunds audible credits regularly as it’s not easy to do with Libro.
I mean, words could be said about Kyrsten Sinema but I think this is far more appropriate of a summary of her time as a politician...
I don't know when I started saying "Pound it" when I would hold my hand out and ask for my dog's paw, but it's always fun and elicits a laugh from anyone who doesn't already know it.
I read this article earlier in the week about how Biden's policy on the Israel-Gaza war may hand the election to Trump, and the last sentence has really stuck with me.
The president’s aides have reportedly been “keeping him in a bubble” regarding voters’ unhappiness with his Israel-Gaza policy. If this Michigan result isn’t what bursts it, then they need to step in and do it themselves.
While phrased in the context of this specific policy, it's this political bubble in Washington DC that needs to pop. I'm astonished at how close this election is. We all know what Trump's about. We've seen this before. Joe Biden cannot seem to get out of the way by either stepping down or pretending to be the communist antifa leader the right will paint him as anyway to securing a victory for anyone NOT Trump. Instead he's content to let us slide into a second Trump Presidency.
I have believed since 2015/2016 that literally anyone else against Hillary or anyone else against Trump would have won in a landslide. No one really liked the candidates. Trump appealed to voters because he promised to go to Washington and stick a thumb in the eye of the establishment. It wasn't Russian interference. The populist message has always done so well regardless of political party because we all see how broken the system is and candidates like Obama, Sanders, and even Trump capitalize on that message to win hearts and minds. Whether or not they actually follow through is secondary (sadly). At this point no one buys that Joe Biden is a "man of the people" regardless of how many Amtrak trains he rides.
But then we're left with even comments here arguing "Trump would be worse" with the implication being "Biden is bad, Trump would be worse". And I get it. This well and truly sucks that it looks like we're going to have two of the oldest Presidential candidates fighting it out yet again from the major parties. I'm fortunate enough to live somewhere that won't ever go for Trump, so I can vote my conscience instead of having to pick the least bad option. Others can't make that call though.
All that to say it's all frankly exhausting and terrible. I think everyone has to decide for themselves how existential of a threat Trump is and vote accordingly. I'm open to the argument that Democrats at least have some amount of shame and can bow to pressure. The conflict in Israel-Gaza is going to be a real test of how they pivot and actually meet the voters where they are.
I think it's fair to say I'm more patient than I was. Having kids has slowed me down on playing games constantly, but I've also drifted towards more indie games and away from big tentpole $60-$70 releases. Some games will be a day one purchase based on enjoying their past work(s), like Tactical Breach Wizards and Steamworld Heist 2, and the cost barrier ends up lower. The last time I went for the big AAA game on or close to launch was Hogwarts Legacy, and that was mostly for the wife since she loves all things Harry Potter.
With the sheer amount of games being released and being able to find just about anything you could want, there's not really a need to be in on the hotness. There are plenty of games to enjoy while those other ones get cheaper and cheaper. The launch day excitement/rush of discovery is always nice though and I do wish there was some kind of a "book club but for games" where a group could go in and have a fresh experience with a game that's already released.