Wow Nadia. I am 100% honest when I say that reading this was the first time I felt a spark today.
I am not a video game person - in fact never played one unless the arcades are considered video games. I always thought them to be violent and pointless but your post made me feel like insanely wrong.
I had no idea you have so much stories and value inside video games. And you are such a great writer to convey those facets of life so beautifully. I felt like I was reading some old diary of mine ( it felt so connected). I wish I could have read your old magazine contents but I am happy for you as it must have been a very hard decision to delete old writings. I can say that you are living up to your expectations and you are making everyone feel included. I can personally say that as you have been showering me with love on my posts. There are times when knowing that someone is effected ( positively) by your work, you feel hopeful.
So grateful for your hopeful writing. I will be reading every post of yours even when I have no idea how to play any video game.
Thank you so much, Sheetal! This makes me immensely delighted and heartened! Indeed, there are a lot of violent games. I happen to play a lot of games with violence. But I try to look past that aspect and see other qualities in each game. DS definitely includes some violence, but you're given a choice not to use violence when possible. There are many other games that are narrative-based, where there's little violence, like Stray, Endling, Syberia, It Takes Two, etc. You don't need to be a pro gamer to play them at all. A lot of quest/adventure point and click games aren't violent and you're immersed in great stories and puzzles. GOG.com has a wonderful roster of games like that. Thank you for sharing a piece of your heart today with me. I love reading your work as well and look forward to more!
I am sorry if my comment sounded like I do not play because of voidance. I just trying to just convey that that is what I thought of video games and never really gave it any attention so I was unaware of this story aspect.
I am looking forward to playing some games when I can access some. And I am looking forward to more of your writing :)
Thanks for reminding me of the importance of games in our lives! I'm more of a board gamer, but have lived computer games and RPGs through my husband & son (and even wrote a MG novel about a kid who writes RPGs). For me, the art that most affects me is music, always. Elgar's cello concerto played by the brilliant and tragic Jacqueline du Pre, in particular, whom I tried to emulate when I played it myself.
That is so beautiful. Thank you for sharing. Where can I purchase your novel? It sounds amazing! I also play board games from time to time. They can be quite fun and immersive!
Thanks so much for your interest, Nadia! I've only just begun querying that one, and hope someday to get it traditionally published. Rest assured I will spread the word if that ever happens!
"Before I was a reader of stories, I was a gamer of stories" what a great line. This essay took me back to my video game obsessed days of old. Thank you for bringing back the memories!
James Michener's Texas altered me. I still feel the characters as though they were close friends and family unlike any I've had.
Can I say any more about being alone without committed connections? To be honest it's been so long I felt anything like it that I might as well have forgotten how it feels and its significance in life. We live in peculiar times really. But I have hope, and won't give up on being kind and open, although I find the latter much difficult to do. What has helped you be more open to others now than in the past?
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I will have to check it out! I understand the feeling you speak of. Indeed, we do live in such peculiar times--so much polarization and separation all around. But I know there is still humanity in us, humans who still want to connect and care for each other. Stay strong! Just writing helps, and sharing with others. It's hard at first being vulnerable. But it gets easier with time.
I share your passion for games with strong narratives. It's mostly all I want to play these days, complementing the escape and wonder that reading brings.
I haven't actually played Death's Stranding yet (I do own it; from an Epic giveaway I believe). I didn't have the time when it released, but I've been meaning to get to it, if my now-not-so-newly-built PC can handle it...
Thank you so much, Nathan! It's lovely to connect with you. I'm enjoying reading your work. Sharing your dreams - what a creative idea, and so imaginatively and compellingly too! I hope you get to play DS soon and that it will handle your PC. It's definitely a unique experience. What are your beloved story-driven games?
Thank you, Nadia. I'm glad we've connected too, and thank you for the sub, likes and comment :D That means a lot.
I've just perused my Steam library to think on this, and I realise I have got several genres that I love most, which span a variety. I love difficult puzzle games to challenge my mind (The Witness, Baba is You -- absolutel top recommendations if that's a genre that appeals), but on the story side it's a mixture:
*Hollow Knight. Perhaps not an obvious choice because of it being a metroidvania, but the hidden lore and the way a story is told through almost no dialogue -- it's just sublime. Plus the music by Christopher Larkin! Incredible.
*Hades. The drip-feed of backstory and characters. The top-notch voice acting, too.
*Return of the Obra Dinn -- mixing narrative and detective/puzzle/logic. Dark and mysterious. I loved how much my brain filled in the gaps between what you did know happened on that fateful ship.
*Dragon Age: Origins. cRPG with brilliant writing.
WAWAWEWA. These are awesome games. It seems that you like rogue-like games or with those elements, too? I'd highly recommend Returnal, since you played Hades. It is so difficult, but so worthwhile. I don't particularly like roguelike, but having played it and actually finished it (*GASP*), I'm now into them and may even retry Hades. Did you ever play Myst? To me, it's impossible at one point without a walkthrough lol. Probably all these other games that are like Portal--The Entropy Centre, The Talos Principle, etc. Thank YOU.
I've been pondering Returnal, so good to know. Congrats on finishing it!!
Myst was good, though shows its age now. I replayed it last year on GamePass.
Portal 1/2, incredible. Talos, too.
The recent Tunic was lovely for the puzzles, too. The combat was weird and difficult for a few things, but then easy at other times. Much preferred it all for the puzzles/exploration.
You will love! There's another rogue-like game called Paper Cut Mansion. It's not highly rated, but personally, I enjoyed it. Screamed a few times. Haha, seems like you played all these games! There's not enough games! Give us more games! Tunic is gorgeous and has nice atmosphere and music, but I agree with you, the combat is just weird. I didn't understand how it could be so hard especially in the beginning in some areas. But maybe I'm bad at these games lol.
Much like books, there are still ALL the games to enjoy.
Forgot to mention: Elden Ring. If you haven't played, highly recommend. I wasn't expecting to actually finish it, but I did. Difficult and hugely rewarding, with a strange, opaque and mysterious plot.
What a treat it was to wake up and read this piece on one of my favourite auteurs! Kojima holds a really special place in my heart, too. I haven’t played Death Stranding, but the Metal Gear series holds a really special place in my list of influences.
And just as a person, Kojima is such a rockstar. Have you listened to his podcast?
You touched on so many meaningful things here. Loved how you brought in your personal experience with video games. You’re so right, they play such a strong role in our childhoods and the stories we create.
Thank you so much Taegan for your awesome thoughts! I have yet to play the MG series (I know, how shameful!). But he sold me when he made PT. And I'm heartbroken ever since Silent Hills was cancelled and Konami were so horrible to him. I do read he's like a Nostradamus of our time. A lot that happened in MG happened in real life. Same with DS. You will see the parallels once you play it. DS2 can't come soon enough! I definitely need to listen to his podcast.
"Homo Ludens are said to be superior to average humans, possessing advanced latent mental abilities and morality superseding those of the general human species."
I love Death Stranding, nothing could ever describe my experience of journeying through that world and making deliveries while the world outside felt grim with lockdowns.
Kojima is a visionary who understands our goal as gamers. We shall keep playing. We shall keep dreaming.
All this! He truly predicted what happened to us. I wonder what he was going for with DS2. He got scared of his predictions and decided to go with another approach. But I'm sure it's going to be spectacular.
This essay speaks to me in a multitude of ways. I was also a gamer way before I was a reader, though I grew up with vastly different games. The first games I ever played were the Spider-Man and Hulk of the early 2000s, and I remember being so happy finishing my first game (which was Spider-Man).
I grew up with Mortal Kombat and Tekken and Naruto fighting games, playing with friends on late summer days as we ate strawberries and the afternoon sun would shine on our scrunched up faces.
You’ve really managed to conjure up that world for me again, and for that, I thank you, Nadia. Maybe this is a subject I could also explore in my writing, as it strikes me that I’ve never done so, and I feel compelled to revisit those times.
What you said about social media and the lit world also resonates with me. I quit Facebook and Instagram more than a year ago, and I only visit Twitter when I get a notification, but I rarely see tweets from my friends over there anymore. They too must have left. I’m so sorry about what happened to you, and I felt similarly during a year in 2021 when I couldn’t write much so I felt out of place on Twitter, and not having any other apps to socialize made me kind of forlorn. Being on Substack changed all that for me, I’ve met so many wonderful people (people like yourself), who come here to genuinely share and enjoy great writing, which is really the main reason I’m on the internet, nowadays.
Thanks again for writing the essay. It seems we’re kindred spirits, in a way.
Thank you so much, Andrei. I am so glad the essay resonated with you and brought back happy memories of your time with video games. I love that you got to share gaming with friends. It was a similar experience for my husband too. And haha. I remember old school Tekken and Mortal Kombat. These games are still going string, but I would say, they are a lot different than the first games, for better or for worse. I am sorry 2021 was a tough and lonely time for you. All these social media sites have some pluses, but they are soul sucking for people who want to genuinely connect. I am grateful Substack exists. It truly takes us back to how we used to interact in many ways, even if digitally.
This was a really lovely read, Nadia, thank you for writing and sharing. The stories told through games I loved when I was a kid were the first to hook me as well. Then films. And then, finally, books. I haven’t been into games for a while now, but this made me want to dive back in. This game sounds incredible.
Thank you so much, Garrett! I would love to know what you played then! What are your most memorable films and books? By the way, I've been immersed in your book (in part 1 now)! I'm a bit of a slow poke, but I wanted to let you know! Thank you for sharing your amazing work!
Yay, thanks so much for reading! Please don’t worry about pace; whatever rate is juuuust fine.
I feel like I can’t even remember the very first games that truly got me. First console was a Sega Genesis, second was a Nintendo 64, and I feel like with both I tended to lean toward multiplayer games through which I could compete with my older brother. Sports, racing, fighting, first person shooters, etc. But as we got older and the consoles became more advanced, we sort of went our separate ways? Haha so I started playing a lot more solo games. PS2 and Xbox era. So the single player experience of Halo and Halo 2 was huge for me. God of War. Fable. Bioshock. The GTA games, definitely, and later, Red Dead Redemption (I also liked some others from Rockstar, though I have no idea if my tastes now would line up with what they were then: Max Payne, Manhunt, Bully). I really loved Resident Evil 4 when it came out. Adding to the single player experience was just how far out into the country we lived; we had dial up, I think, until I was in college, so it wasn’t like online multiplayer was feasible.
Add on my gushing about films and books and this comment will get soooooo muuuuch loooonger haha so I’ll put a cap on it there for now.
Please, gush away, Garrett! I want to know what people love to read, watch, play, etc. I appreciate you! I remember older games were more cooperative. There were a lot of party games back then too. They're not as popular now, sadly. My gosh, I remember when Halo came out. It was so groundbreaking. I loved playing it with my dad. And all these other games I played too, except Bioshock and RDR (I have it though!). Did you know RE 4 was remade? I never played the original, but I can attest the remake is phenomenal! I so remember the dial-up days. The sound your computer made when you tried to hook up to the internet, so grating. And no one could call each other lol.
Haha the dial-up sound was TERRIBLE. So funny to think back on it. I didn't know that RE 4 was remade but I bet it's terrifying and beautiful. I remember playing it on my PS2 and all the wonderful anxiety it gave me haha.
As far as films and books, eesh, it's so hard to narrow them down, but I'll name a few that have been foundational to my desire to be a storyteller.
Films: gahhhh, started listing some titles but thought by director might be easiest haha... David Fincher, Martin Scorsese, Christopher Nolan... growing up those three were probably the ones I'd return to most. But also my dad is a farmer and former marine so there were plenty of westerns that I watched with him that stand out to me still (The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is one; Unforgiven another), as well as war movies (Saving Private Ryan, Platoon).
Books: The Road by Cormac McCarthy, Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann, This is Not Your City by Caitlin Horrocks (she was a professor of mine and this was her first collection of short stories... her second collection is amazing as well, called Life Among the Terranauts)
It is definitely a tense experience! I had a blast playing it! I love all these directors as well. Good taste ;-). I like war films too lately! But particularly where the focus is more on interpersonal relations and internal struggles. Thank you for sharing all these wonderful films and books. I shall check out those I didn't get the chance to peruse!
Thank you so much for reading, Holly! Yes, I thought it's great. And we truly are connected when we're playing it even if we can't see each other. In real time, I saw things being constructed by others, items being left, etc. I also love that this game encourages you NOT to kill. Kojima's games are known for that.
Fantastic article. Unbelievably, I got Death Stranding for free on the Epic Games Store. But I haven't played it yet. Your depiction of it may have just pulled me over the line.
If I had to name one game that (recently) changed my life, it's Red Dead Redemption 2. What a unique game. With most other games, I'm trying to rush from objective to objective. With RDR2, I could just sit on my horse and travel trot in the wilderness and be perfectly happy. It was meditative. Combine that with the exceptional storytelling, a fantastic protagonist in Arthur Morgan, and the brilliant use of music, and you've got a game that's among the best art of the 2010s.
Hi Thomas! Thank you so much for such a lovely comment. Based on your experience with RDR 2, you may like DS. There's a lot of meditative walking in that one, but also some tense moments too! I actually have RDR2 as well but haven't played it yet. I may want to soon though. Move away from all the horror games and into something a little more laidback but still suspenseful! Hah.
I love the phrase “gamer of stories” I am going to share this with my daughter who is making the transition from gamer of stories to creator of stories. Not that she will ever leave gaming obviously.
I never played Death Stranding... I know I know... but hear me out... Time! Time is of the essence. I need more time! To play all the games! Deleted FB/IG/WTSP in 2016... I can relate. I might have to do an essay on my gaming journey... one day. This was a great write-up, Nadia.
Thanks so much for reading, Alexander! DS definitely requires A LOT of time, so I don't blame anyone for not committing to it. It would be cool if you wrote about your own gaming journey!
LOVE this sentence: "Before I was a reader of stories, I was a gamer of stories." This whole piece is great, really enjoyed this insight into your journey with gaming and online spaces too. I was obsessed with first Tomb Raider game too - me and my brother used to play it together trying to figure out the puzzles. Such a great game!
Aw, thank you Charlene! That is so awesome you got to enjoy Tomb Raider as well. Do you remember the butler following Lara around?! Good times locking him in the freezer XD.
Ah! My first read of your newsletter and I loved it!
I got so excited to see all the games you mentioned that I loved too (I'm someone who watches most games--ESPECIALLY horror through let's play YouTubers haha). Last of Us, Amnesia, and Outlast stood out the most!
Death Stranding looks interesting too!
I'm trying to get back into video gaming (seeing where it fits in this new life); I was around your age when I started as well. Pokemon Blue took my heart and I remember playing pretend, believing I truly WAS a Pokemon trainer.
My grandma kept a Sega Genesis in the basement for us grandkids and I ended up eventually taking it (with permission) and then she got a Dreamcast we'd play, and at my aunt's growing up I'd play my cousin's Nintendo 64 with my youngest cousin.
Had a Gameboy color, Gameboy Advance, GameCube, Nintendo DS, Wii, and I got a Switch Lite late last year.
Your piece turning into the truth of the disconnect of human nature and our experience was so profound! While I was reading your bit on how fast the internet is moving (getting into a space where it's quick to judge/move/act/etc.) reminded me of my seething hatred for TikTok.
Not so much me shaking my fist at it like an elder, but just... I just don't enjoy it. I don't enjoy whole concepts that are over in the blink of an eye.
I also REALLY don't enjoy how much information gets construed over there, or how many dangerous challenges and new concepts for the ways people should live start over there and manifest into something dangerous or toxic. Bleh.
If you love story-heavy games, ooooh my gosh I am in love with God of War: Ragnarok. It's the third game, and I think you get even CLOSER to the story if you start from the beginning but... My gosh was it good.
I personally didn't need the other two to get sucked in. I'm not usually one who notices world-building, but you can't NOT notice the world cohesively coming together around you!
It is also the answer to your life-changing art question. That game. It came to me after I lost mom and taught me about parenting (with our mother-daughter dynamic), "being better", grief, storytelling, and more. It was so good!
Another piece of art I loooove is BoJack Horseman. Hands down my favorite show ever. On the surface, it looks silly as you see humans and anthropomorphic animals co-exist (in ALL the ways), but you eventually look past it and by the end of season 1, into season 2 you start seeing it's potential and get sucked in... and then as it continues it gets. so. much. better.
The way animation media is able to find different ways to communicate messages and themes that live action just can't do is so magical and powerful to me.
There's a part in the last season that conveyed ending your life, and it was during a time when I was ideating. Didn't watch season 6 so I thought I would before I decided anything.
That episode sobered me up. It was SO visceral. I'm sure it specifically was up for an emmy nomination (I get the awards mixed up but I'm sure that's right)!
Ahhhh... I love art.
Thank you for sharing your views and life! I can't wait to read more!
Thank you so much for sharing a piece of you and what impassions you, Cierra! It is so cool you're into horror video games, like me. Sometimes I'm a bit of a chicken so I definitely watch some horror games and not play them. I mean, no way will I ever play Amnesia. Unless I want to faint from terror lol. Which channels do you watch? I love The Rad Brad (he's so personable); Hollow (his screams are phenomenally hilarious); Gab Smolders (she plays all the games I love!).
Gosh, I remember Pokemon on Gameboy! Hahah. I played so many hours of that game. I love turn-based games like that. I also remember it was popular for kids to trade cards back then. I had a bunch myself! I also had many of the consoles you named. Dreamcast was my most beloved console. It just had such great games! Shenmue, D2, Sonic, RE Code Veronica, Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi, etc.
My goodness, yes, the latest God of War game is phenomenal. I swear, my heart was crying puddles from the first minute. Knowing about "the thing" that would "happen" at the end. And it's such a beautiful, aching, authentic way of showing the relationship between father and son, particularly the fear of letting go, how much space to give, letting in trust, etc. I was frankly surprised IT didn't win the game of the year. Even though Elden Ring is a phenomenal game as well, I really thought God of War had it. The first game was excellent too. And I love the games before it, but the story telling in the last ones are more impactful and compelling.
Thank you for telling me about BoJack Horseman. I'm definitely familiar with the show, but I have yet to see it. Now I have even more reasons to watch it!
It's so unfortunate about TikTok. It was at first a positive place for people to do dance collabs together. I thought that was fun. But then they started preaching and informing and blaming others. But the thing is, who knows what is even true in such a short format. I don't take it seriously. But I'm more sad about the children exposed to it and being negatively influenced.
It's SO rare for me to actually *play* horror games I am absolutely a big baby! I watch them all the time though. I tried Amnesia once and it was a short run haha! And even Slenderman in broad daylight with college friends walking around... made my heart race when I glitched into a gate and he kept jumpscaring me!
I had a friend who tried to start a gaming channel and wanted me to play with him but I spoke too softly and cowered too much away from the camera when he'd play scary games with me ahahaha!
I remember even creeping myself out *reading* about Silent Hill 3 in a gaming magazine; I'm a mess.
Oh Pokémon brainwashed me ahaha! 1st and some of 2nd gen have my heart still to this day but I'm SO lost now-a-days with all the gens and pokeballs and everything!
Oh Dreamcast we played A LOT of Sonic Adventure and this game called Worms Armageddon that I was able to find a similar version of for my Switch!
So... I mentally flipped a table when God of War didn't win game of the year! I think also I watched BTS of the making of the game and all the accessibility features they added and how they cried working together so when I heard they didn't win I was just like how DARE?! XD
BoJack, when you check reddit about it afterward for each episode, points out SO. MANY. continuity threads that always amazes me! Makes me love the show more and more.
And though the show gets very dark and serious (like, it hits on gray areas where you're trying to figure out the moral ground of some of the things that happen!), it keeps humor in it with the animal puns in the backgrounds and other bits.
One part of the show had this opossum folding shirts upside down (hehe) at a market and I paused to read the shirt he was folding, and it said something like "Stop pausing. Just watch the show!!" cause the creators knew how often we were pausing to catch stuff happening in the background from time to time, lol!
Okay, okay... I'm done! Haha
But yes! I have younger cousins who are into TikTok and I always fear for them trying these "challenges" that have killed kids as young as 8 or so! The short format really does make it hard for kids to pause and be like, "wait... Is that true?" The preaching and informing can go into such dangerous territories! It's gone into a unfortunate place indeed.
Hahaha. I feel you. I'm the same. But I'm too much of a fan, so I cannot not play. But I also get so scared easily. And scream constantly, scaring my poor husband. And even watching scared the heck out of me. It's too bad you didn't do the Youtube Channel thing. It would have been funny and novel and creative. Maybe someday if you change your mind. I would totally watch you both!
Oh yes. There has certainly been a lot of evolution in the Pokemon world. But I'm not sure I like where it went. The old games really worked so well. No wonder people played them for hours and hours and hours.
Hahaha yes, Sonic was so good! I don't care what anybody says. It was a fun and gorgeous game too. It's only recent that platformers like that started popping up again. Also, I love that you love Worms. I played them quite a bit too! So much fun.
Yes, it's sad it did not win. Indeed it was so accessible. Although I thought maybe The Last Of Us would win, because that game IS probably the most accessible game ever. And yes, I feel like it was robbed when it comes to the game of the year. However, there are some other games that also deserved to have won, for me personally, like the new A Plague Tale game. The second game tore me apart, and it was a vast improvement from the first game as well.
Wow. BoJack sounds like an amazing show. I don't know why I missed out on it. I do the pausing a lot too with other cartoons. Rick and Morty has a lot of those. And also Big Mouth and Disenchantment. Hilarious stuff.
Oooof. That is worrisome. I heard about these challenges. They also existed on Instagram too. It's so horrible. They need to be better about keeping this off the platforms. But parents need to be more vigilant too. Even for adults, these sites have been mentally destructive.
Thank you! Haha I'll have to build the courage to do so! I remember I played a Tomb Raider game on my laptop decades ago, and these dogs as tall as me came out of nowhere and started attacking me (and had glowing red eyes). I forgot how to function and just slammed it close! No pausing, no closing the game, no, no... Just close the laptop, haha! I'll need to get like you! Play, even if it makes you scream. :)
I think one day I'll get one of the newer Pokémon games to see what all has changed, but I agree! I liked the simplicity of the same. Let you kinda world build even further with your own imagination with the fodder of different areas and gyms and routes it provided you with.
Now I think there's storylines and just soooo many Pokémon and worlds and such! I also heard that the game's glitches and unfinish-ness is part of the appeal for humor's sake and I'm like... I guess... Haha. I can't judge it yet until I start playing to truly see for myself I guess!
Yaaay for Sonic and Worms lovers!! So happy to hear you really enjoyed both!
Oh I didn't know about the accessibility for Last of Us! That's always so great when teams consider accessibility for websites and games and such. I need to get better with that just with what I post online since I can help!
I'll have to look into A Plague Tale; I really like your taste in games!
And it really is! it's hands down my favorite show I've viewed. There's a little secret you may pick up on the show (I learned it through Reddit of course), but they only place one F-bomb per season. Usually the most climatic part of the season. It's all these little details that made me fall even more in love with it!
I've watched a little of Rick and Morty but never paused to observe! I'll have to do so, and I heard of those other two shows; looks like I'll have to check them out too.
Ah, and yeah, it's really unfortunate! It's so hard to constantly monitor kids and what they're doing online or what they believe (or if they now wat to get "internet famous" and may feel like they need to do whatever it takes to be "successful."). And I believe that too, that adults can even suffer from it as well! I mean we have proof around how destructive social media can be. Always highlights and downfalls to social media and seemingly almost any innovation in life.
Oh my gosh. It's been so long I didn't play the old Tomb Raider games. But I remember they were so scary then, with the wolves, dinos, monstrous creatures. But I miss that. The new ones, as good as they are, are just not Tomb Raider, and Lara Croft isn't Lara Croft. You can do this! I'm sure!
Oh yes, I have heard of those glitches as well. It's so unprofessional to put out a half-finished game. Why do AAA companies do that. It's especially insulting when you have to pay $70+ for a game you believe should be 100% done, and it's not. It makes me lose faith and compels me to wait a bit before purchasing a game. At the same time, having tested games in the past, I get excited about bugs and laugh my ass off. Sometimes they can be fun. But still, quite insulting, when you expect quality.
Yes, both games are extremely accessible. I've seen videos of people crying from joy because they could finally experience something with whatever disability they have. It's thoughtful and caring. Aside from the amazing story, this is another thing that deeply impressed me.
Ugh yes. I know, it's impossible these days to always be on the lookout. I remember how the good old days were. Kids played outside and watched TV sometimes. That is all. So simple and fun and healthy. Now everyone has to worry about social media and if you don't have a phone, you're a sore loser. And I have seen adults being brainwashed too, very smart and lovely people. I mean, I have been as well! Sheesh.
Haha thank you for the encouragement! And I didn't know Tomb Raider changed so much, wow!
I think the glitches have become a selling point for exactly what you said! They're hilarious! But yessss, also we're uh... paying $70 from a AAA company so it uh... why.... why is it NOT quality???
Yay accessibility! That's so lovely to see so many people being able to enjoy things they used to be limited to.
And oh I've been in the same boat too with the brainwashing, which makes it so scary how soon kids get involved in this stuff! Definitely miss the good old days of IMing or writing on forums being the most dangerous thing you could do online... but it wasn't the only thing we did!
Like you said: TV! Going outside! Non-internet connected video games! Haha.
Wow Nadia. I am 100% honest when I say that reading this was the first time I felt a spark today.
I am not a video game person - in fact never played one unless the arcades are considered video games. I always thought them to be violent and pointless but your post made me feel like insanely wrong.
I had no idea you have so much stories and value inside video games. And you are such a great writer to convey those facets of life so beautifully. I felt like I was reading some old diary of mine ( it felt so connected). I wish I could have read your old magazine contents but I am happy for you as it must have been a very hard decision to delete old writings. I can say that you are living up to your expectations and you are making everyone feel included. I can personally say that as you have been showering me with love on my posts. There are times when knowing that someone is effected ( positively) by your work, you feel hopeful.
So grateful for your hopeful writing. I will be reading every post of yours even when I have no idea how to play any video game.
Thank you so much, Sheetal! This makes me immensely delighted and heartened! Indeed, there are a lot of violent games. I happen to play a lot of games with violence. But I try to look past that aspect and see other qualities in each game. DS definitely includes some violence, but you're given a choice not to use violence when possible. There are many other games that are narrative-based, where there's little violence, like Stray, Endling, Syberia, It Takes Two, etc. You don't need to be a pro gamer to play them at all. A lot of quest/adventure point and click games aren't violent and you're immersed in great stories and puzzles. GOG.com has a wonderful roster of games like that. Thank you for sharing a piece of your heart today with me. I love reading your work as well and look forward to more!
I am sorry if my comment sounded like I do not play because of voidance. I just trying to just convey that that is what I thought of video games and never really gave it any attention so I was unaware of this story aspect.
I am looking forward to playing some games when I can access some. And I am looking forward to more of your writing :)
No apologies necessary at all! I hope you can find some great ones that will appeal to you! I appreciate you reading! xo
Thanks for reminding me of the importance of games in our lives! I'm more of a board gamer, but have lived computer games and RPGs through my husband & son (and even wrote a MG novel about a kid who writes RPGs). For me, the art that most affects me is music, always. Elgar's cello concerto played by the brilliant and tragic Jacqueline du Pre, in particular, whom I tried to emulate when I played it myself.
That is so beautiful. Thank you for sharing. Where can I purchase your novel? It sounds amazing! I also play board games from time to time. They can be quite fun and immersive!
Thanks so much for your interest, Nadia! I've only just begun querying that one, and hope someday to get it traditionally published. Rest assured I will spread the word if that ever happens!
I wish you the best of success with that, Wendy! I'll be sure to buy it as soon as it gets released!
"Before I was a reader of stories, I was a gamer of stories" what a great line. This essay took me back to my video game obsessed days of old. Thank you for bringing back the memories!
Aw. My pleasure! What games did you play? Thanks so much for reading.
I loved sports games and also played a lot of call of duty
Aaah the good ole days of good ole sports games! Haha. Call of Duty these days is pretty cool too.
James Michener's Texas altered me. I still feel the characters as though they were close friends and family unlike any I've had.
Can I say any more about being alone without committed connections? To be honest it's been so long I felt anything like it that I might as well have forgotten how it feels and its significance in life. We live in peculiar times really. But I have hope, and won't give up on being kind and open, although I find the latter much difficult to do. What has helped you be more open to others now than in the past?
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I will have to check it out! I understand the feeling you speak of. Indeed, we do live in such peculiar times--so much polarization and separation all around. But I know there is still humanity in us, humans who still want to connect and care for each other. Stay strong! Just writing helps, and sharing with others. It's hard at first being vulnerable. But it gets easier with time.
Michelangelo's Last Judgement and a Damned Soul... https://cwspangle.substack.com/p/michaelangelos-last-judgement-and
Beautifully written.
I share your passion for games with strong narratives. It's mostly all I want to play these days, complementing the escape and wonder that reading brings.
I haven't actually played Death's Stranding yet (I do own it; from an Epic giveaway I believe). I didn't have the time when it released, but I've been meaning to get to it, if my now-not-so-newly-built PC can handle it...
Thank you so much, Nathan! It's lovely to connect with you. I'm enjoying reading your work. Sharing your dreams - what a creative idea, and so imaginatively and compellingly too! I hope you get to play DS soon and that it will handle your PC. It's definitely a unique experience. What are your beloved story-driven games?
Thank you, Nadia. I'm glad we've connected too, and thank you for the sub, likes and comment :D That means a lot.
I've just perused my Steam library to think on this, and I realise I have got several genres that I love most, which span a variety. I love difficult puzzle games to challenge my mind (The Witness, Baba is You -- absolutel top recommendations if that's a genre that appeals), but on the story side it's a mixture:
*Hollow Knight. Perhaps not an obvious choice because of it being a metroidvania, but the hidden lore and the way a story is told through almost no dialogue -- it's just sublime. Plus the music by Christopher Larkin! Incredible.
*Hades. The drip-feed of backstory and characters. The top-notch voice acting, too.
*Return of the Obra Dinn -- mixing narrative and detective/puzzle/logic. Dark and mysterious. I loved how much my brain filled in the gaps between what you did know happened on that fateful ship.
*Dragon Age: Origins. cRPG with brilliant writing.
My list could go on, haha.
Any recommendations?
WAWAWEWA. These are awesome games. It seems that you like rogue-like games or with those elements, too? I'd highly recommend Returnal, since you played Hades. It is so difficult, but so worthwhile. I don't particularly like roguelike, but having played it and actually finished it (*GASP*), I'm now into them and may even retry Hades. Did you ever play Myst? To me, it's impossible at one point without a walkthrough lol. Probably all these other games that are like Portal--The Entropy Centre, The Talos Principle, etc. Thank YOU.
Yes, definitely a rogue-like fan for sure.
I've been pondering Returnal, so good to know. Congrats on finishing it!!
Myst was good, though shows its age now. I replayed it last year on GamePass.
Portal 1/2, incredible. Talos, too.
The recent Tunic was lovely for the puzzles, too. The combat was weird and difficult for a few things, but then easy at other times. Much preferred it all for the puzzles/exploration.
You will love! There's another rogue-like game called Paper Cut Mansion. It's not highly rated, but personally, I enjoyed it. Screamed a few times. Haha, seems like you played all these games! There's not enough games! Give us more games! Tunic is gorgeous and has nice atmosphere and music, but I agree with you, the combat is just weird. I didn't understand how it could be so hard especially in the beginning in some areas. But maybe I'm bad at these games lol.
Not heard of, but will check it out, thank you.
Much like books, there are still ALL the games to enjoy.
Forgot to mention: Elden Ring. If you haven't played, highly recommend. I wasn't expecting to actually finish it, but I did. Difficult and hugely rewarding, with a strange, opaque and mysterious plot.
What a treat it was to wake up and read this piece on one of my favourite auteurs! Kojima holds a really special place in my heart, too. I haven’t played Death Stranding, but the Metal Gear series holds a really special place in my list of influences.
And just as a person, Kojima is such a rockstar. Have you listened to his podcast?
You touched on so many meaningful things here. Loved how you brought in your personal experience with video games. You’re so right, they play such a strong role in our childhoods and the stories we create.
Loved this!
Thank you so much Taegan for your awesome thoughts! I have yet to play the MG series (I know, how shameful!). But he sold me when he made PT. And I'm heartbroken ever since Silent Hills was cancelled and Konami were so horrible to him. I do read he's like a Nostradamus of our time. A lot that happened in MG happened in real life. Same with DS. You will see the parallels once you play it. DS2 can't come soon enough! I definitely need to listen to his podcast.
"Homo Ludens are said to be superior to average humans, possessing advanced latent mental abilities and morality superseding those of the general human species."
I love Death Stranding, nothing could ever describe my experience of journeying through that world and making deliveries while the world outside felt grim with lockdowns.
Kojima is a visionary who understands our goal as gamers. We shall keep playing. We shall keep dreaming.
All this! He truly predicted what happened to us. I wonder what he was going for with DS2. He got scared of his predictions and decided to go with another approach. But I'm sure it's going to be spectacular.
Michelangelo's Last Judgement and a Damned Soul... https://cwspangle.substack.com/p/michaelangelos-last-judgement-and
This essay speaks to me in a multitude of ways. I was also a gamer way before I was a reader, though I grew up with vastly different games. The first games I ever played were the Spider-Man and Hulk of the early 2000s, and I remember being so happy finishing my first game (which was Spider-Man).
I grew up with Mortal Kombat and Tekken and Naruto fighting games, playing with friends on late summer days as we ate strawberries and the afternoon sun would shine on our scrunched up faces.
You’ve really managed to conjure up that world for me again, and for that, I thank you, Nadia. Maybe this is a subject I could also explore in my writing, as it strikes me that I’ve never done so, and I feel compelled to revisit those times.
What you said about social media and the lit world also resonates with me. I quit Facebook and Instagram more than a year ago, and I only visit Twitter when I get a notification, but I rarely see tweets from my friends over there anymore. They too must have left. I’m so sorry about what happened to you, and I felt similarly during a year in 2021 when I couldn’t write much so I felt out of place on Twitter, and not having any other apps to socialize made me kind of forlorn. Being on Substack changed all that for me, I’ve met so many wonderful people (people like yourself), who come here to genuinely share and enjoy great writing, which is really the main reason I’m on the internet, nowadays.
Thanks again for writing the essay. It seems we’re kindred spirits, in a way.
Thank you so much, Andrei. I am so glad the essay resonated with you and brought back happy memories of your time with video games. I love that you got to share gaming with friends. It was a similar experience for my husband too. And haha. I remember old school Tekken and Mortal Kombat. These games are still going string, but I would say, they are a lot different than the first games, for better or for worse. I am sorry 2021 was a tough and lonely time for you. All these social media sites have some pluses, but they are soul sucking for people who want to genuinely connect. I am grateful Substack exists. It truly takes us back to how we used to interact in many ways, even if digitally.
This was a really lovely read, Nadia, thank you for writing and sharing. The stories told through games I loved when I was a kid were the first to hook me as well. Then films. And then, finally, books. I haven’t been into games for a while now, but this made me want to dive back in. This game sounds incredible.
Thank you so much, Garrett! I would love to know what you played then! What are your most memorable films and books? By the way, I've been immersed in your book (in part 1 now)! I'm a bit of a slow poke, but I wanted to let you know! Thank you for sharing your amazing work!
Yay, thanks so much for reading! Please don’t worry about pace; whatever rate is juuuust fine.
I feel like I can’t even remember the very first games that truly got me. First console was a Sega Genesis, second was a Nintendo 64, and I feel like with both I tended to lean toward multiplayer games through which I could compete with my older brother. Sports, racing, fighting, first person shooters, etc. But as we got older and the consoles became more advanced, we sort of went our separate ways? Haha so I started playing a lot more solo games. PS2 and Xbox era. So the single player experience of Halo and Halo 2 was huge for me. God of War. Fable. Bioshock. The GTA games, definitely, and later, Red Dead Redemption (I also liked some others from Rockstar, though I have no idea if my tastes now would line up with what they were then: Max Payne, Manhunt, Bully). I really loved Resident Evil 4 when it came out. Adding to the single player experience was just how far out into the country we lived; we had dial up, I think, until I was in college, so it wasn’t like online multiplayer was feasible.
Add on my gushing about films and books and this comment will get soooooo muuuuch loooonger haha so I’ll put a cap on it there for now.
Really, really loved this piece though ❤️
Please, gush away, Garrett! I want to know what people love to read, watch, play, etc. I appreciate you! I remember older games were more cooperative. There were a lot of party games back then too. They're not as popular now, sadly. My gosh, I remember when Halo came out. It was so groundbreaking. I loved playing it with my dad. And all these other games I played too, except Bioshock and RDR (I have it though!). Did you know RE 4 was remade? I never played the original, but I can attest the remake is phenomenal! I so remember the dial-up days. The sound your computer made when you tried to hook up to the internet, so grating. And no one could call each other lol.
Haha the dial-up sound was TERRIBLE. So funny to think back on it. I didn't know that RE 4 was remade but I bet it's terrifying and beautiful. I remember playing it on my PS2 and all the wonderful anxiety it gave me haha.
As far as films and books, eesh, it's so hard to narrow them down, but I'll name a few that have been foundational to my desire to be a storyteller.
Films: gahhhh, started listing some titles but thought by director might be easiest haha... David Fincher, Martin Scorsese, Christopher Nolan... growing up those three were probably the ones I'd return to most. But also my dad is a farmer and former marine so there were plenty of westerns that I watched with him that stand out to me still (The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is one; Unforgiven another), as well as war movies (Saving Private Ryan, Platoon).
Books: The Road by Cormac McCarthy, Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann, This is Not Your City by Caitlin Horrocks (she was a professor of mine and this was her first collection of short stories... her second collection is amazing as well, called Life Among the Terranauts)
It is definitely a tense experience! I had a blast playing it! I love all these directors as well. Good taste ;-). I like war films too lately! But particularly where the focus is more on interpersonal relations and internal struggles. Thank you for sharing all these wonderful films and books. I shall check out those I didn't get the chance to peruse!
oh man I could talk about immigrants and video games (just me and the games I loved) FOREVeR
Hahaha. Same here, Sasha! What games did you love? Do you still play?
I love the aspect of Death Stranding making you aware of unseen others’ needs. How cool. Thank you for sharing this, Nadia!
Thank you so much for reading, Holly! Yes, I thought it's great. And we truly are connected when we're playing it even if we can't see each other. In real time, I saw things being constructed by others, items being left, etc. I also love that this game encourages you NOT to kill. Kojima's games are known for that.
That’s right! It’s so meta. :)
Seriously!
Fantastic article. Unbelievably, I got Death Stranding for free on the Epic Games Store. But I haven't played it yet. Your depiction of it may have just pulled me over the line.
If I had to name one game that (recently) changed my life, it's Red Dead Redemption 2. What a unique game. With most other games, I'm trying to rush from objective to objective. With RDR2, I could just sit on my horse and travel trot in the wilderness and be perfectly happy. It was meditative. Combine that with the exceptional storytelling, a fantastic protagonist in Arthur Morgan, and the brilliant use of music, and you've got a game that's among the best art of the 2010s.
Hi Thomas! Thank you so much for such a lovely comment. Based on your experience with RDR 2, you may like DS. There's a lot of meditative walking in that one, but also some tense moments too! I actually have RDR2 as well but haven't played it yet. I may want to soon though. Move away from all the horror games and into something a little more laidback but still suspenseful! Hah.
I love the phrase “gamer of stories” I am going to share this with my daughter who is making the transition from gamer of stories to creator of stories. Not that she will ever leave gaming obviously.
Sweeeeeeeeeeeeet! I love that your daughter is creating too! Gaming and creating are life :).
I never played Death Stranding... I know I know... but hear me out... Time! Time is of the essence. I need more time! To play all the games! Deleted FB/IG/WTSP in 2016... I can relate. I might have to do an essay on my gaming journey... one day. This was a great write-up, Nadia.
Thanks so much for reading, Alexander! DS definitely requires A LOT of time, so I don't blame anyone for not committing to it. It would be cool if you wrote about your own gaming journey!
It would be a very loooooooooooooooong post! Gosh, come to think of it, it would cover over four decades... erf.
Maybe there's even a book in this, with volumes!
First things first! :) SPHEREAN will be about 100k (approx 40k written). Maybe, I write about the Brewfest though!
Wow, you're almost there, get it!
LOVE this sentence: "Before I was a reader of stories, I was a gamer of stories." This whole piece is great, really enjoyed this insight into your journey with gaming and online spaces too. I was obsessed with first Tomb Raider game too - me and my brother used to play it together trying to figure out the puzzles. Such a great game!
Aw, thank you Charlene! That is so awesome you got to enjoy Tomb Raider as well. Do you remember the butler following Lara around?! Good times locking him in the freezer XD.
Hahaha! I do remember him 😆 He made the funniest groaning noises "Ooooaaoohh".
LOLOLOL. He was great.
Ah! My first read of your newsletter and I loved it!
I got so excited to see all the games you mentioned that I loved too (I'm someone who watches most games--ESPECIALLY horror through let's play YouTubers haha). Last of Us, Amnesia, and Outlast stood out the most!
Death Stranding looks interesting too!
I'm trying to get back into video gaming (seeing where it fits in this new life); I was around your age when I started as well. Pokemon Blue took my heart and I remember playing pretend, believing I truly WAS a Pokemon trainer.
My grandma kept a Sega Genesis in the basement for us grandkids and I ended up eventually taking it (with permission) and then she got a Dreamcast we'd play, and at my aunt's growing up I'd play my cousin's Nintendo 64 with my youngest cousin.
Had a Gameboy color, Gameboy Advance, GameCube, Nintendo DS, Wii, and I got a Switch Lite late last year.
Your piece turning into the truth of the disconnect of human nature and our experience was so profound! While I was reading your bit on how fast the internet is moving (getting into a space where it's quick to judge/move/act/etc.) reminded me of my seething hatred for TikTok.
Not so much me shaking my fist at it like an elder, but just... I just don't enjoy it. I don't enjoy whole concepts that are over in the blink of an eye.
I also REALLY don't enjoy how much information gets construed over there, or how many dangerous challenges and new concepts for the ways people should live start over there and manifest into something dangerous or toxic. Bleh.
If you love story-heavy games, ooooh my gosh I am in love with God of War: Ragnarok. It's the third game, and I think you get even CLOSER to the story if you start from the beginning but... My gosh was it good.
I personally didn't need the other two to get sucked in. I'm not usually one who notices world-building, but you can't NOT notice the world cohesively coming together around you!
It is also the answer to your life-changing art question. That game. It came to me after I lost mom and taught me about parenting (with our mother-daughter dynamic), "being better", grief, storytelling, and more. It was so good!
Another piece of art I loooove is BoJack Horseman. Hands down my favorite show ever. On the surface, it looks silly as you see humans and anthropomorphic animals co-exist (in ALL the ways), but you eventually look past it and by the end of season 1, into season 2 you start seeing it's potential and get sucked in... and then as it continues it gets. so. much. better.
The way animation media is able to find different ways to communicate messages and themes that live action just can't do is so magical and powerful to me.
There's a part in the last season that conveyed ending your life, and it was during a time when I was ideating. Didn't watch season 6 so I thought I would before I decided anything.
That episode sobered me up. It was SO visceral. I'm sure it specifically was up for an emmy nomination (I get the awards mixed up but I'm sure that's right)!
Ahhhh... I love art.
Thank you for sharing your views and life! I can't wait to read more!
Thank you so much for sharing a piece of you and what impassions you, Cierra! It is so cool you're into horror video games, like me. Sometimes I'm a bit of a chicken so I definitely watch some horror games and not play them. I mean, no way will I ever play Amnesia. Unless I want to faint from terror lol. Which channels do you watch? I love The Rad Brad (he's so personable); Hollow (his screams are phenomenally hilarious); Gab Smolders (she plays all the games I love!).
Gosh, I remember Pokemon on Gameboy! Hahah. I played so many hours of that game. I love turn-based games like that. I also remember it was popular for kids to trade cards back then. I had a bunch myself! I also had many of the consoles you named. Dreamcast was my most beloved console. It just had such great games! Shenmue, D2, Sonic, RE Code Veronica, Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi, etc.
My goodness, yes, the latest God of War game is phenomenal. I swear, my heart was crying puddles from the first minute. Knowing about "the thing" that would "happen" at the end. And it's such a beautiful, aching, authentic way of showing the relationship between father and son, particularly the fear of letting go, how much space to give, letting in trust, etc. I was frankly surprised IT didn't win the game of the year. Even though Elden Ring is a phenomenal game as well, I really thought God of War had it. The first game was excellent too. And I love the games before it, but the story telling in the last ones are more impactful and compelling.
Thank you for telling me about BoJack Horseman. I'm definitely familiar with the show, but I have yet to see it. Now I have even more reasons to watch it!
It's so unfortunate about TikTok. It was at first a positive place for people to do dance collabs together. I thought that was fun. But then they started preaching and informing and blaming others. But the thing is, who knows what is even true in such a short format. I don't take it seriously. But I'm more sad about the children exposed to it and being negatively influenced.
It's SO rare for me to actually *play* horror games I am absolutely a big baby! I watch them all the time though. I tried Amnesia once and it was a short run haha! And even Slenderman in broad daylight with college friends walking around... made my heart race when I glitched into a gate and he kept jumpscaring me!
I had a friend who tried to start a gaming channel and wanted me to play with him but I spoke too softly and cowered too much away from the camera when he'd play scary games with me ahahaha!
I remember even creeping myself out *reading* about Silent Hill 3 in a gaming magazine; I'm a mess.
Oh Pokémon brainwashed me ahaha! 1st and some of 2nd gen have my heart still to this day but I'm SO lost now-a-days with all the gens and pokeballs and everything!
Oh Dreamcast we played A LOT of Sonic Adventure and this game called Worms Armageddon that I was able to find a similar version of for my Switch!
So... I mentally flipped a table when God of War didn't win game of the year! I think also I watched BTS of the making of the game and all the accessibility features they added and how they cried working together so when I heard they didn't win I was just like how DARE?! XD
BoJack, when you check reddit about it afterward for each episode, points out SO. MANY. continuity threads that always amazes me! Makes me love the show more and more.
And though the show gets very dark and serious (like, it hits on gray areas where you're trying to figure out the moral ground of some of the things that happen!), it keeps humor in it with the animal puns in the backgrounds and other bits.
One part of the show had this opossum folding shirts upside down (hehe) at a market and I paused to read the shirt he was folding, and it said something like "Stop pausing. Just watch the show!!" cause the creators knew how often we were pausing to catch stuff happening in the background from time to time, lol!
Okay, okay... I'm done! Haha
But yes! I have younger cousins who are into TikTok and I always fear for them trying these "challenges" that have killed kids as young as 8 or so! The short format really does make it hard for kids to pause and be like, "wait... Is that true?" The preaching and informing can go into such dangerous territories! It's gone into a unfortunate place indeed.
Hahaha. I feel you. I'm the same. But I'm too much of a fan, so I cannot not play. But I also get so scared easily. And scream constantly, scaring my poor husband. And even watching scared the heck out of me. It's too bad you didn't do the Youtube Channel thing. It would have been funny and novel and creative. Maybe someday if you change your mind. I would totally watch you both!
Oh yes. There has certainly been a lot of evolution in the Pokemon world. But I'm not sure I like where it went. The old games really worked so well. No wonder people played them for hours and hours and hours.
Hahaha yes, Sonic was so good! I don't care what anybody says. It was a fun and gorgeous game too. It's only recent that platformers like that started popping up again. Also, I love that you love Worms. I played them quite a bit too! So much fun.
Yes, it's sad it did not win. Indeed it was so accessible. Although I thought maybe The Last Of Us would win, because that game IS probably the most accessible game ever. And yes, I feel like it was robbed when it comes to the game of the year. However, there are some other games that also deserved to have won, for me personally, like the new A Plague Tale game. The second game tore me apart, and it was a vast improvement from the first game as well.
Wow. BoJack sounds like an amazing show. I don't know why I missed out on it. I do the pausing a lot too with other cartoons. Rick and Morty has a lot of those. And also Big Mouth and Disenchantment. Hilarious stuff.
Oooof. That is worrisome. I heard about these challenges. They also existed on Instagram too. It's so horrible. They need to be better about keeping this off the platforms. But parents need to be more vigilant too. Even for adults, these sites have been mentally destructive.
Thank you! Haha I'll have to build the courage to do so! I remember I played a Tomb Raider game on my laptop decades ago, and these dogs as tall as me came out of nowhere and started attacking me (and had glowing red eyes). I forgot how to function and just slammed it close! No pausing, no closing the game, no, no... Just close the laptop, haha! I'll need to get like you! Play, even if it makes you scream. :)
I think one day I'll get one of the newer Pokémon games to see what all has changed, but I agree! I liked the simplicity of the same. Let you kinda world build even further with your own imagination with the fodder of different areas and gyms and routes it provided you with.
Now I think there's storylines and just soooo many Pokémon and worlds and such! I also heard that the game's glitches and unfinish-ness is part of the appeal for humor's sake and I'm like... I guess... Haha. I can't judge it yet until I start playing to truly see for myself I guess!
Yaaay for Sonic and Worms lovers!! So happy to hear you really enjoyed both!
Oh I didn't know about the accessibility for Last of Us! That's always so great when teams consider accessibility for websites and games and such. I need to get better with that just with what I post online since I can help!
I'll have to look into A Plague Tale; I really like your taste in games!
And it really is! it's hands down my favorite show I've viewed. There's a little secret you may pick up on the show (I learned it through Reddit of course), but they only place one F-bomb per season. Usually the most climatic part of the season. It's all these little details that made me fall even more in love with it!
I've watched a little of Rick and Morty but never paused to observe! I'll have to do so, and I heard of those other two shows; looks like I'll have to check them out too.
Ah, and yeah, it's really unfortunate! It's so hard to constantly monitor kids and what they're doing online or what they believe (or if they now wat to get "internet famous" and may feel like they need to do whatever it takes to be "successful."). And I believe that too, that adults can even suffer from it as well! I mean we have proof around how destructive social media can be. Always highlights and downfalls to social media and seemingly almost any innovation in life.
Oh my gosh. It's been so long I didn't play the old Tomb Raider games. But I remember they were so scary then, with the wolves, dinos, monstrous creatures. But I miss that. The new ones, as good as they are, are just not Tomb Raider, and Lara Croft isn't Lara Croft. You can do this! I'm sure!
Oh yes, I have heard of those glitches as well. It's so unprofessional to put out a half-finished game. Why do AAA companies do that. It's especially insulting when you have to pay $70+ for a game you believe should be 100% done, and it's not. It makes me lose faith and compels me to wait a bit before purchasing a game. At the same time, having tested games in the past, I get excited about bugs and laugh my ass off. Sometimes they can be fun. But still, quite insulting, when you expect quality.
Yes, both games are extremely accessible. I've seen videos of people crying from joy because they could finally experience something with whatever disability they have. It's thoughtful and caring. Aside from the amazing story, this is another thing that deeply impressed me.
Ugh yes. I know, it's impossible these days to always be on the lookout. I remember how the good old days were. Kids played outside and watched TV sometimes. That is all. So simple and fun and healthy. Now everyone has to worry about social media and if you don't have a phone, you're a sore loser. And I have seen adults being brainwashed too, very smart and lovely people. I mean, I have been as well! Sheesh.
Haha thank you for the encouragement! And I didn't know Tomb Raider changed so much, wow!
I think the glitches have become a selling point for exactly what you said! They're hilarious! But yessss, also we're uh... paying $70 from a AAA company so it uh... why.... why is it NOT quality???
Yay accessibility! That's so lovely to see so many people being able to enjoy things they used to be limited to.
And oh I've been in the same boat too with the brainwashing, which makes it so scary how soon kids get involved in this stuff! Definitely miss the good old days of IMing or writing on forums being the most dangerous thing you could do online... but it wasn't the only thing we did!
Like you said: TV! Going outside! Non-internet connected video games! Haha.