<–The State of the Gamer: 8/21/18            The State of the Gamer: 9/18/18–>

A weekly post updated every other Tuesday detailing my current gaming projects.  I have an account at Grouvee, which is a site you can use to keep track of your backlog, so please feel free to friend me there!

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What I Played

Title: Octopath Traveler
System: Nintendo Switch

Date Started: August 11, 2018

I found two Job Shrines: Scholar and Thief.  I gave thief to Tressa at the recommendation of Drakulus and gave Scholar to Olberic, because he’s my permanent party member, and I want someone to have the Analyze ability (at all times). It was confirmed for me that each character’s special ability (like Therion’s chest opening skill) remains their own even if you give another character their same job, so I’ll continue to bring the thief with me into new territories and dungeons.

I’m finally at the point where I can do all of their Chapter 2 content, but now I’m noticing afterwards some of their Chapter 3’s are in the same place as character’s Chapter 2 that I haven’t gotten to yet.  I like taking care of a place’s business all at once, so I may have to figure out how to level up the Chapter 3 person before doing the Chapter 2 if possible.

I just arrived in Stillsnow for Primrose’s second chapter, and I’m going to look for the Shrine around there, as well!

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What I Watched

Title: The Illusion of Gaia
Series Title: Soul Blazer
Let’s Player: Hungry Goriya

I finished HG’s Let’s Play a few weeks ago and have conveniently left her review of the game for you to enjoy.  I completely agree with every said about, and it’s funny how right she is about how as a kid I didn’t notice any of the deeper points or major character failings.  It says something about how we see things.  As adults, while we have a more experienced perspective that can pick up on not only more intense issues but also critiques, a kid would still enjoy playing this game while those flew over their head.  I never even noticed how annoying Kara was or how mean Lilly acted when I played this.  Nor how none of Will’s companions added much to the plot with the exception of his cousin Neil.  While I do prefer games that you can go back and weed out more interesting aspects, you also can’t discount what’s enjoyable for certain age demographics.

Title: Alan Wake
Series: Alan Wake
Let’s Player: ChristopherOdd

I almost forgot I finished this.  The ending was…interesting?  It left a bit to be desired, but I suppose they were going for the “open-ended/what really happened” vibe.  I found some pretty decent explanations of that, but nearly all of them agree the final shot was a bit of a cop out.  I don’t know how I feel about it.  I did love the whole “my story is coming to life” motif as a writer, because weird shit like that has happened to me in smaller aspects, but I haven’t really thought much about the game after I finished watching it.

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What I’m Watching

Title: Oxenfree
Let’s Player: ChristopherOdd

It took me quite a few LPs before I found one that pulled me in.  I just wasn’t drawn by Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana or Dust: An Elysian Tale, but this game was exactly what I was looking for.  Stuff like this always draws me because there’s so much undiscovered in our universe, so it’s up there in possibilities.  With a heavy Strange Things vibe, Oxenfree more than likely also draws inspiration from The Philadelphia Experiment and Montauk.  I’m still a few videos away from the end, and I can’t watch it at night, but I can’t wait to see what happens.

Title: Bendy and the Ink Machine
Let’s Player: CaptainSauce

I looked for a good Let’s Play of this for a while and forgot I’d saved the first episode of CaptainSauce’s in a playlist.  I had no clue the last chapter of the game hadn’t been released yet, but a quick internet search says it’s coming out in October.  I, like everyone playing, cannot wait to see how this ends.

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It’s all Octopath all the time here when I’m not watching creepy Let’s Plays.  I haven’t even touched FFBE these past two weeks.  I started my two week vacation today, which is awesome because I was finally able to get my first video book review recorded.  Of course I have to edit it, which is going to take way longer than the hour of recording I did, but I’m still pretty stoked.

Have you picked up the new Dragon Age XI?  I’ve been hearing a lot about that lately.

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<–The State of the Gamer: 8/21/18            The State of the Gamer: 9/18/18–>