Play.
Star Wars Galactic Racer is great, with a couple of caveats. The racing itself is great, and you can feel all that Burnout heritage when you kick your pod into a long, satisfying drift. The rogue-like structure is a great idea, and racing games feel perfectly suited to it, because you're always replaying old tracks anyway. But I've always disliked the genre, and I can't quite convince myself to give it a fair shake here. I worked my way up to Sebulba on my first run, lost the race, and now I have zero desire or motivation to start another run. I'm aware this is a me problem.
Also, tiny point, but the ramjets are disappointing. They don't feel much faster than the other type of boost, and it's fairly easy to control. I basically always activate ramjets the moment they're charged, and I'd have preferred a risk/reward mechanic where the boost is incredibly fast and very difficult to control without crashing.
They're little niggles. They only stand out because the game is, on the whole, so well made.
Also playing Cyberpunk for the 3rd time. Hopefully this time I'll finish it. I picked up the expansion on PS5 and PC, and I'm using cross save to work my way through a new save file. This has to be the most surprisingly cosy game I've ever played. You can take your Stardew Valleys and your Animal Crossings. Nothing beats the neon-soaked cosiness of sitting in a diner, or on the 70th floor of a mega-building, and watching the rain fall outside the window. Also apparently there are some shooty bits, but I'm rubbish at those.
Want World of Warcraft Forever. Only a few days to go. Still haven't decided on my forename-surname combination. Haven't wracked my head like this since I named my children.
Oh, and I picked up the humble puzzler bundle for 13 quid, which I’d heartily recommend. It’s perfect Steam Deck (equivalent) fodder, and contains a couple of Eurogamer essentials. I’m especially loving A Monster’s Expedition, which is another Sokoban puzzler like Jonathan Blow’s latest, except this one hasn’t disappeared up its own bottom. And the 7th Guest remake promises to be wonderfully naff in all the right ways. It even comes with Dungeons of Hinterburg, that indie Zelda and Persona mashup that I’ve bounced off a couple times. Hopefully a handheld will make it stick this time.
https://www.humblebundle.com/games/puzzlers-to-puzzle-you?srsltid=AYCX9vJVn8TTnHcy_oaImLmjhsx4YQpndwwTZr5KliJ5GzjX-NtIwV4c
Play
I've just been playing a bit of Dungeons of Hinterberg, actually. I'm still early - only day 3 or 4, maybe? - but it's quite charming. I never managed to finish anything these days, though, so of course I've also gone back to the colossal, slightly-janky well of:
Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning. Pretty sure I last played this when it launched, and I have no idea what's going on, but the quest tracking is good enough that I can at least go in the right direction most of the time. I'm playing a mad, teleporting Rogue covered in poisoned knives and fire, and it's pretty unchallenging fun. There are so many crafting systems, though, and two types of lockpicking, and a thousand fantasy creature names.
Finally, still, Overwatch. I could go on at length about the newest characters (and typed a draft)l!), but I won't subject ygou to it. TL;DR: they're fun.
Want
Galactic Racer calls to me, but9 racing games are something I never really play enough to feel like I get my money's worth out of. Maybe if it's in a sale later on I might tip over the edge.
I love KoA: Re-Reckoning. It's just so breezy, carefree and of its time. You're making me want to play it now - it's like nostalgia distilled into a game. Total comfort food.
Hinterberg I've started 3 or 4 times and never got far. I love the art style, but I just can't get into it.
Play.
Star Wars Galactic Racer is great, with a couple of caveats. The racing itself is great, and you can feel all that Burnout heritage when you kick your pod into a long, satisfying drift. The rogue-like structure is a great idea, and racing games feel perfectly suited to it, because you're always replaying old tracks anyway. But I've always disliked the genre, and I can't quite convince myself to give it a fair shake here. I worked my way up to Sebulba on my first run, lost the race, and now I have zero desire or motivation to start another run. I'm aware this is a me problem.
Also, tiny point, but the ramjets are disappointing. They don't feel much faster than the other type of boost, and it's fairly easy to control. I basically always activate ramjets the moment they're charged, and I'd have preferred a risk/reward mechanic where the boost is incredibly fast and very difficult to control without crashing.
They're little niggles. They only stand out because the game is, on the whole, so well made.
Also playing Cyberpunk for the 3rd time. Hopefully this time I'll finish it. I picked up the expansion on PS5 and PC, and I'm using cross save to work my way through a new save file. This has to be the most surprisingly cosy game I've ever played. You can take your Stardew Valleys and your Animal Crossings. Nothing beats the neon-soaked cosiness of sitting in a diner, or on the 70th floor of a mega-building, and watching the rain fall outside the window. Also apparently there are some shooty bits, but I'm rubbish at those.
Want World of Warcraft Forever. Only a few days to go. Still haven't decided on my forename-surname combination. Haven't wracked my head like this since I named my children.
I just think the 2 boosts in Galactic racer is a mistake. I find it infuriating design, along with the toggle on the right stick. Fiddly and unnecessary. I've only really been doing the first 3 time trials trying to get better at it, and there's a sort of indistinctness and fuzzyness to the inputs that is at odds with the precision demands of the game. So much so I went back to Burnout to check I wasn't imagining it. But no. I still really like it, but it was making me angry, so for the sake of not having another stroke I decided to stick to other things for a week or two….
Oh, and I think I'm going to go back into WoW Forever. It consumed me at one point in my life. I think a couple of months of pure nostalgia must surely be worth a sub.
