A Month in Gaming
September has been a difficult month. A family crisis and subsequent bereavement meant that gaming got pushed down the daily agenda. However, after the various chores and duties were done I did need some downtime and means to relax. Hence I did play some games in a limited fashion. Nothing fancy, just stuff like Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout and Gang Beasts, which are light-hearted and undemanding. I also took the time to log on to The Lord of the Rings Online test server and check out the preview of the forthcoming “mini-expansion”. Not only was this informative but it provided material for a blog post. But overall I didn’t really achieve anything substantial with my gaming throughout September, apart from finishing the main story in The Sinking City . Gaming was relegated to being just a convenient diversion from the immediate problems I’ve been facing but as such, it did fulfil that role well.
At present, Call of Duty Modern Warfare/Warzone continues to provide what I call “quick fix” gaming. I’ve been playing since April and every new season, developer’s Infinity Ward continue to add new features to keep the game engaging. Season Six started on 29th September and came with some interesting new maps and weapons to unlock. At present there appears to be a glitch with the SP-R-208 marksman rifle, as there is no bullet drop. Hence it has temporarily become the weapon of choice of all “wannabe” snipers. Even I can hit things with this weapon. There’s also another glitch with the AS VAL silenced assault rifle. When converted to use SPP ammunition, these armour piercing rounds penetrate everything with no reduction in bullet velocity. You can effectively shoot through an entire building and hit a target. I suspect that a patch will quickly eliminate these issues.
Despite my lack of time for in-depth gameplay during September, I did acquire four new games, which came as a surprise to me given the circumstances. Firstly, I was gifted Spiritfarer via Steam. This is a charming and thoughtful game. You play as Stella, (accompanied by her pet cat Daffodil), who takes over from the mythological Charon as the new Spiritfarer. As a ferrymaster you must sail the sea to find spirits, grant their last wishes and finally take them to the Everdoor, the gateway to the afterlife. This is a game that provides relaxation and an opportunity to reflect on the nature of life and death. I also bought two new RPGs. Elex and Horizon Zero Dawn. The latter is a known quantity and a recent console conversion. The former is a smaller title developed by Piranha Bytes who previously made the Gothic and Risen franchises. Elex mixes futuristic and medieval locations, in which the player can use guns, swords and magic against enemies. Finally Toren is an action adventure puzzle game from a small independent Brazillian developer. I found the basic premise of a baby girl protagonist who grows up as she progresses through a trap filled tower intriguing.
In October, I plan to start playing one of the above RPGs and try again to see if I can catch up with content in The Lord of the Rings Online. I’m hoping that there will be an improvement in server performance. It will also be interesting to see how the community responds to the “mini-expansion”. I may return to Star Trek Online but that is more of a question of conducting research for a series of blog posts. What I crave the most from my gaming at present is something different. Hence I have tried content outside of my usual genres during the lockdown. I cannot find any compelling reason to return to The Elder Scrolls Online at present. That is a game I like to apply myself to, due to the richness of the lore. I don’t want to just dabble with it, so I think I’ll keep it in reserve for later. I suspect it may well be a difficult autumn and winter so perhaps an MMO such as this, will be the ideal solution to the dark nights.
