Tag Archives: Games

Skyrim: Finally Edition

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So I finally got around to playing Skyrim after having picked up the Anniversary Edition a while back, and I have to admit this is the first time I think I have ever looked forward to playing a computer game the way I have looked forward to TTRPGs in the past. I’m kinda weird among Geeks in that I did not grow up playing console games all the time (the only console we ever owned was an Atari 1600 and there were 5 of us kids at the time, so I didn’t get a ton of time on it) so this is kind of a new experience for me.

I’m digging it.

Like any computer-generated thing, it of course has its quirks. The plot is pretty reliant on the idea of the player being the strongest security force in the entire region – I have lost count of how many bandit towers I have cleared out at this point, and I see tons of guards walking around every town. What the heck are these guys even doing?

Then there are AI decisions. I had just managed to smash some mage in a dungeon and steal his toys, and on the way back out we get interrupted by this Spy/Assassin Bad Guy Monologuing at me about how he’s going to kill me and take my stuff. Well, as soon as he stopped talking and regular action came back, I FUS-ROH-DAH‘d his Elven ass through a doorway and into next week, and my companion Lydia the Housecarl runs up and stands in the effing doorway so I can’t go finish him off. Like c’mon, dude, this is the thing we do, we knock them down and kick them in the teeth repeatedly!

Quirks aside, I can highly recommend the Anniversary Edition. I’m about 100 hours into the game and have only hit about 30% completion. Go play!

A couple game recommendations

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Stuck at home? Need to burn a few hours a day? I’ve got a couple entertaining games for you.

Cat Quest

Reminiscent of all those old SNES games that I never played because of tiny town origins, this is a happy little run-around-and-smack-everything game with just enough plot to keep things moving.

It is also chock-a-block with cuteness and cat puns. The wife says the sequel is a good buy as well.

HOB

I also missed out on MYST and similar games when they came out, and if you like puzzles, dramatic vistas, and don’t mind losing a few hours of sleep due to “I just need one more butterfly”-itis, then HOB is a game for you.

The scenery is just gorgeous, and the team created several spectacular vistas for you to “collect” (there’s a special game mechanic for ‘stand on this spot and press X to check out this view!’).

Like the classic platformers, you spend most of the game running around and jumping from various bits of scenery to others, missing, falling flat on your face and respawning to go at it again.

I tend to play games kinda linearly, but this one kind of lends itself to wandering off on side quests without messing up the story. I actually stopped at the pre-boss save point to go back and collect stuff I had missed.

Well worth the money.

Charge those controller batteries and go forth!