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| http://memoski.deviantart.com/art/Indie-Collision-447101402 |
I'm noticing that I'm less and less inclined toward playing video games lately. And as this has become the case, I notice I tend to narrow my focus when gaming. I really only play one or two games at a time. And I really want to finish them out and put them to bed. The latest has been starseed pilgrim. I've played this game off and on for a year, and I've gotten close to beating it but dammit if I can't seem to beat the thing! Even now, as I'm typing, I'm wondering if I should give it another shot.
... and yes, I tried, and no, I didn't finish it. So close! arrrgh! I do love that Starseed Pilgrim, though. This game is so challenging and rewarding. I find it can really absorb my attention, and that concentration can be good for me. Just so long as I can put the thing down before I'm pulling too much of my hair out.
I also started playing Chrono Trigger the other day, just to see what it would be like. I was being very good too, playing about 30-60 minutes a night, occasionally skipping some. But the holidays threw that out of whack. A skipped day flows into a couple days visiting family and friends and then suddenly I'm out of the habit. Incidentally, that's exactly how it always goes for me when flossing, exercising and other good habits I want to get into.
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| Frog Fractions, seems innocuous enough, but is it really? |
I suppose I should take some time to actually review the year, for this year in review. Wow, a lot can happen in a year. My year in gaming started out strong, with the unique and often hilarious game, The Stanley Parable. Jaconian and I both played this game, and had a blast. I would recommend this game to anyone who has played a lot of video games. I actually had a similar experience playing the flash game Frog Fractions. Though the two games have much different game play, there is a similar sense of parody and tribute to games past. All in all, Frog Fractions was a great time hidden in the guise of a math game.
I should mention that I entered 2014 as a member of our nations unemployed, and it was in this unemployed state that I discovered Zelda Classic, the Legend of Zelda quest editor. Zelda Classic occupied all my attention for a solid month. I had very high hopes. Unfortunately, when I finally got a job, I tapered off on Zelda Classic before being able to produce anything I was really proud of.
My new job was at a garden nursery, so for a while, all I could think about was plants. I stopped gaming almost entirely. Unless you count doggie soccer. I start doing a lot more book reviews, reviewing old games and rambling on about gardening.
Toward the end of the year, I started playing and buying magic cards again, after a many-year hiatus. I still regularly get together with my friends Ghost and Ramsden. It's still really fun, though I sometimes wonder for how much longer.
I think I'll have to call Starseed Pilgrim my game of the year. Even if it didn't come out this year. The point is that this game captured my attention more than any other game I played. I may even have to write another post after I finally beat the thing. Zelda classic comes in second, and would have won if I could have played it more consistently throughout the year. Unfortunately, Zelda classic is a much heavier commitment. The Stanley Parable gets special recognition, and always will.
Looking forward to the new year, I'm mostly thinking about my job and my housing. I don't have any goals related to gaming. And that's just fine. Maybe I'll check a new indie title, or get involved in some multiplayer games. I'll probably do some exploration of the past, probably playstation 1 era. Whatever the case, video games are here for me if I need them, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
-D
P.S. I also want to take a second to say how much I love the MIDI Week Singles column that Jaconian introduced this year. It's such a fun series to follow and to write for, and the possibilities are limitless. There is always something to say on the subject. Jaconian has long been 'tending the fires' of video game music, and his appreciation for the medium cannot be overstated.
