Pixels and Polygons

I really like video games and want to talk about them. Mostly gaming, but If I particularly like or dislike something, y'all gonna hear about it.

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I’m honestly so glad that character creation in games is improving. 

Like growing up it was so hard to make a character with curly hair. You could maaaybe get a Vaguely Wavy hairstyle. Now though games are making it so much easier to create characters that reflect a person’s actual outward appearance. As much as we like to dog on Sims 4 I’m glad that they are taking the steps to be more inclusive, and Animal Crossing too.

I’m fine with games that aren’t heavy on character customization at all but I do really appreciate it when it's done with some zeal.

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journey appreciation post

Journey was honestly a really good game. The minimalist story and smooth gameplay really work well. It doesn't tell you what to do yet it shows you a consistent goal the whole way and I appreciate that.

I know a lot of people had a very meaningful experience with other players in this game. While I personally have not had that experience, I do think it's amazing that so many people have made these connections.

I also really love the graphics. The lighting in some of the sections is just so gorgeous, and the sand surfing sequence is probably my favorite in the game.

The music is also really nice as well. Austin Wintory as always does a fantastic job. It really evokes a serene desert.

With all of this, it really is not hard to see why this game is held in such high regard.

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summer video games

Just a little list of video games that are perfect for summertime.

subnautica - With coral reefs, crystal waters, and lush kelp forest really come in strong with the ocean vibes but don’t let the hostile water life scare you off. 

maneater - Who doesn’t love swimming in swamps and polluted lakes? For real though swimming around as a shark and eating rich tourists is literally a perfect summer game. 

abzu - Explore different parts of the ocean and mysterious ruins of ancient civilization among absolutely gorjus marine wildlife. 

super mario sunshine - Scenic locales and beaches help give major tropical vibes in this game.

animal crossing: new horizons - Hang out with your little animal friends on your own personal deserted island. I mean c’mon who doesn’t know this game at this point?

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abzu appreciation

I really friggin’ love this game. Austin Wintory’s phenomenal music, the gorgeous underwater environments and the fact you can swim with the fishies without having to worry about danger creates such a serene and relaxing game that I have to share it with everyone else.

you can swim with WHALES

look at the kelp forests! and the schools of fish!

Just look at the colors here! gorjus

And finally some appreciation for the deep sea without making it ridiculously scary.

Just a lovely game overall.

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dark souls areas ranked by how well they function as travel destinations

ABSOLUTELY NOT

The Catacombs & Tomb of Giants -  The power bill has not been paid in thousands of years so your stay will be in complete darkness, surrounded by hordes of the undead. Absolutely not.

Blighttown - With the poison swamp, giant leeches, mosquitoes, and hostile wildlife, Blighttown is at the bottom of our Lordran Travel Destinations. Avoid at all costs, if you stay here you will not return.

Demon Ruins & Lost Izalith - The demon infestation pales in comparison to the blinding lava surrounding this locale. While there is good infrastructure you do have to sign a waiver relinquishing all their responsibility in the case of drowning in lava. There really is no reason to even visit here let alone stay.

Quelaag’s Domain - Arachnophobes beware, you’re literally staying in a giant spider’s web surrounded by giant parasites.  

Depths - While it is cozy, the giant rat infestation, cannibals, and basilisks do put a damper on the enjoyment of staying here. 

Sen’s Fortress - Lordan’s own recreation of the Home Alone Trap House, Sen’s Funhouse Fortress is more of a gimmick than anything. With death traps galore and poor customer service, only visit Sen’s Fortress if you actively hate yourself. 

Painted World of Ariamis - The snow does look quite nice, however, the locale is not so nice. Skip.

New Londo Ruins -Between being completely flooded and haunted by literal ghosts, keep the Ruins of New Londo out of your holiday destination plans. 

DRIVE THROUGH AND DON’T STOP

Chasm of the Abyss - If you dip below 80 at all while traveling through here, you’ll start noticing the eyes in the dark, and wondering how long they’ve been there. Do not rest, and leave as soon as possible. 

Darkroot Garden & Darkroot Basin - While it may be fine for a scenic drive, the Darkroot Garden & Basin are dark and foreboding, with hostile creatures lurking within.  Best not to linger. 

Valley of Drakes - There’s not anything here except hostile drakes, so just run those over on your way out of town. 

Oolacile Township - The locals have all become addicted to meth, which may be a bonus for some depending on your hobbies. However most of the architecture has become warped by the Abyss, so you’re better off just driving write through it. 

Ash Lake - There’s really not an awful lot to see here, except perhaps the Great Hollow Tree. Not even worth the visit. 

OVERNIGHT STAY  

Northern Undead Asylum - A little bit run down, but there are plenty of rooms if you can tolerate the overbearing concierge and unsavory neighbors. 

Kiln of the First Flame - Not quite a whole lot to do here. It is peaceful and quiet, and the barbequing Gwyn will keep you nice and warm as you stay in the ashen ruins. 

Royal Woods - Minus the large, hostile dragon residing in the valley and the encroaching puddles of The Abyss, it’s actually not that bad. A decent camping spot with the nearby Oolacile Township and Sanctuary Garden to visit, it’s one of the most ideal camping spots. 

Firelink Shrine - While it seems unassuming, it’s quite the hotspot for locals. With its nice views, cozy bonfire, and easy access to many areas of Lordran, it’s a must-stop for travelers. 

The Duke’s Archives & Crystal Cave - The perfect place for the academic, the Duke’s Archives boasts the most extensive library is all of Lordran. On the property of the Archives is the Crystal Cave, home to the elusive Moonlight butterfly. Choose The Archives as your overnight stay (just ignore the prisoners in the basement, we are not responsible for any kidnappings that may occur).

Undead Burg & Undead Parish - The Undead Burg is a cozy town home to a historic cathedral. Stay at the Bed and Breakfast, then take a stroll and visit one of the humble merchants. Perhaps you would rather visit the Darkroot Garden located a short walk away. Either way, you will not be bored. 

DESTINATION VACATION

Anor Londo - You’ll be staying in the luxurious castle of Anor Londo. Grand architecture, spacious rooms, and a gorgeous sunset make this one of the hottest vacation spots in Lordran. You will be racially profiled by the frankly aggressive security guards, however, you can relax afterward in the Chamber of the Princess suite.  

Sanctuary Garden  & Oolacile Sanctuary - A cozy little grove in the lovely woods of Oolacile. What it lacks in accommodations it makes up for with a serene, and relaxing atmosphere. If you don’t mind the occasional feral cat, it is an ideal getaway location for couples.

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reasons you should play the untitled goose game

you’re a goose

there’s a designated honk button

you get to terrorize your neighbors and bully children with said goose shenanigans

the art style is cute and the music relaxing

the puzzles are fun and fairly straightforward

you can play it with a friend! twice the chaos and double the goose

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things I love about darkest dungeon

Roguelite gameplay and difficulty. It’s hard, and RNG is a pain at times but overall it feels fair if you learn the mechanics. It’s also a great game if you don’t have a lot of time, and need something easy to drop and pick up.

The stress mechanic. It emphasizes what usually goes unnoticed in dungeon crawler games, which is the experiences of the characters forced to go through them. They can become afflicted and lash out at others, or rise to the occasion, their virtuous qualities shining through. I mean which is understandable. If I was forced into a dungeon to face monsters every week I’d probably snap at some point as well.

The variety in heroes, with each their own personalities and backstories. They all play differently as well, so it’s pretty fun to combine different groups of heroes and strategies ffor each of the different dungeons.

The art style. It’s got these nice muted colors and thick black lines. It really reminds me of Mike Mignola’s art style in the Hellboy comics. Everyone’s eyes being blacked out gives it that darker vibe that matches the tone of the story.

The threatening music, tense gameplay, and dark environments integrate seamlessly to create a Lovecraftian and daunting atmosphere, unlike any other game I’ve played.

The ancestor’s narration. Even as you achieve victory, he never lets you forget despair is one small step away. As it should be with this game.

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kh -traverse town appreciation

Love this place. It's meant to be a safe haven for those who've lost their worlds, and it does just that. The jazzy overworld theme, neon lights, and quirky oddities make this the kingdom hearts world with the most character and personality.

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spyro the dragon // dark hollow appreciation

This is probably my favorite level in the game. The books are stacked everywhere and the soft glow of the candles creates a cozy atmosphere reminiscent of a warm summer night.

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best levels of Spyro 1

~Spyro 1 is iconic, and so here is a list of the best levels in the game.~

7.) Stone Hill - This one has a lot of nostalgia for me. I love the little rams and shepherds and the weird little noises they make. The music is great, and the hidden beach cave is a nice cozy area.

6.) Haunted Towers - The animated knight armor is pretty cool, and I like the number of breath power-ups in this level. Plus the design of the castle is not as linear and more like Dry Canyon.

5.) Dry Canyon - Speaking of Dry Canyon, the nonlinear pathways of Cliff Town makes it one of the more interesting levels. The circling of the cliff to get to one of the crystalized dragons is a clever trick and I appreciate it.

4.) Ice Cavern - The frozen, icy cave is just really pretty and fun to explore, plus the music in this level slaps. Also points for existing in a desert world.

3.) Dark Passage - Having a nightmare-themed level in a world that is dreamy and whimsical is pretty neat. I love the mechanic of the cute creatures turning monstrous once the lights go out. Definitely creepy if you aren't expecting it.

2.) Dark Hollow - This one is also very nostalgic for me and my personal favorite. This level is so relaxing, and the remake just enhanced it. Overall just a really serene level.

1.) Tree Tops - This is an awesome level, y'all just can't stand levels that ain't a straight line. The speed ramps and confusing paths are what make it great.

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red dead redemption II environment appreciation

Both this game and Red Dead Redemption have such nice environments. There's such diversity in them.

you got snowy mountaintops

marshes and swamps

lakes and waterfalls

forests and rivers

and let's not forget the plains and the deserts too. There's so much to explore, and you can spend so much time riding around and taking in the scenery. There is also quite a bit of biodiversity within the biomes themselves. So much time and effort has gone into creating a beautiful environment I just wanted to make a post and appreciate them.

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things I love about The Last of Us

The soundtrack, it’s integrated so seamlessly. It perfectly accompanies the more emotional and dramatic story pieces while creating tension during stealth and combat sequences. 

The audio cues whenever you’re very close to being seen by an enemy or one is very close to your position behind you. That little woosh sound has helped me so many times. In addition to that I also love listening mode, I just think it’s neat. 

The environment design and layout. The layout is clever and allows for plenty of cover during stealth and combat, and the overall design really captures the decay of an apocalypse 20 years later.

The infected. I really like their designs, AI, the noises they make. I just think they’re neat. 

The prologue/intro. The most gut-wrenching introduction to a game I’ve ever played, and it gets me every single time. 

The section of the game where you’re caught in Bill’s trap, and must defend against infected while upside down. Stressful, but very fun.

The sewer level. I love the idea of an underground/sewer group of survivors in an apocalypse scenario. It has some of the more stressful infected encounters (looking at you stalkers), and  the room with the children in it was quite chilling. 

Ellie’s jokes. Love me some bad puns.

Bill. That's all.

The notes and artifacts. Although some of them don’t really make sense to exist, I love in-universe momentos, especially the diaries from those already gone.

The infected. It stands out so well from other types of zombie/outbreak media, as a fungus it is very unique. Just the way they move and sound (and especially the clickers) is quite creepy.

there is so much more but I will just add it as it comes to me.

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Frostpunk (2018) Review

In this game, you must guide the survivors of a global winter to help form the last city around a giant generator in the freezing wasteland. As the leader of your little steampunk society, you must create laws in order to manage the discontent and hope of your people, and ensure that there are enough resources to survive in this frigid new world. 

It’s very focused on resource management, your choices can either help the city thrive, barely survive, or utterly doom them.  Everything is centered around keeping the generator going with coal, as the cold can incapacitate and kill your populace. There’s also keeping everyone fed and healthy through medical posts, hothouses, and sending out hunters. Another aspect of your job as a leader is you can send scouts out to the Frostland for survivors, supplies, and other goodies.

A neat part of this game I think is the ability to pass laws. You can go a practical if not slightly sadistic route, a compassionate route, or somewhere in-between. There are also options to focus more on faith or discipline, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. One big aspect I like is the option to play different scenarios, adding different challenges in addition to the main story mode. 

Generally, I enjoy this game. I really like the little details put into it, as you can zoom in and read the information on each of the citizens, and hear the clamor of your tiny city around the generator.  If you make poor or hostile decisions, the game will not pull any punches in making you feel bad about it, but they do also try and praise you when you make positive decisions. The game is great at creating the sense you are caring for actual little people rather than pixels on a screen.

The DLCs are pretty fun, and add onto the base games mechanics. They are definitely more difficult than the base game scenarios. The Last Autumn has you building the generators, having to maintain hope and morale, manage the working conditions to prevent danger and accidents, and ease the tensions between the engineers and the workers. It also provides insight into the world in the beginning of the end, and people's reaction to it. On the Edge takes place in the aftermath of the great storm of A New Home. You play as an outpost of New London, reliant on the city and other settlements for resources in exchange for what you send them.  This scenario is much more resource management focused.  The only thing you can create yourself is iron and stream cores, forcing you to get nearly all your resources through trade. It is quite fun I think, adds a unique challenge,  and further continues the story.

Only the thing negative I have to say is that the music can get a bit repetitive and that the game is brutal until you get the hang of it and figure out how things work. You will most likely give out or watch your city struggle a few times until you get ahead of the learning curve. Overall though, I think it is a creative game with a nice aesthetic, interesting mechanics, and a nice challenge.

4/5

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The Long Dark (2014) - Review

The Long Dark is a survival game set in the Canadian wilderness after a mysterious event has caused technology to cease working unless an aurora is in the sky. For this review I will be focusing on the survival and challenge modes rather than the story mode. 

The highest praise I can give The Long Dark is that it challenges you to survive. There’s such a variety of easy ways to die that it takes so much effort to just stay alive.. You can have ribs broken by a moose, freeze in your sleep, and starve while cooking your nearly expired can of pork and beans. These challenges are enhanced by the atmosphere and gameplay designed to make you feel isolated. There’s noone else out there. It’s just you, the wildlife, and the frozen bodies lying around. It’s quite unnerving at times.

On the other side of the coin you might also feel relaxed. Huddled in your tiny cabin and cooking food on a stove with a warm fire while the wind howls outside, it gets downright cozy. However, never forget that you’re still in a struggle for survival. If that isn’t really what you’re looking for, there’s also a peaceful mode setting if you would rather explore and don’t want to deal with hostile predators. It’s very relaxing, if a tad boring as it is much harder to die in this difficulty. It’s a nice way to play during the winter if you are snowed in for the winter.

If you get bored of survival mode and the story mode isn’t your thing, there are multiple challenging scenarios to test your wits. These range in difficulty, and each one is unique.I think the most interesting one is “Escape the Darkwalker,” in which you must escape the titular Darkwalker who hunts you without ceasing until you can banish it. Ignoring the fact I’m too cowardly to play it, I would highly recommend it.

There are a few aspects of the game I dislike, one of which  is that in some ways it feels pretty unrealistic. For example, the rate at which you must consumer food and water feels excessive,  like you go 20 minutes without eating or drinking and your character is on it’s last legs. It just feels like a constant slog to gather enough resources so you don’t automatically keel over. Another thing is that it can feel like a walking simulator. It takes forever to get anywhere, and you practically have no sprinting ability, which really bites if you are surrounded by wolves or need to get to your shelter.

I think the biggest issue that I have is that it takes long to get to the point where you are no longer cowering every time you hear the howl of a wolf. The process in which to create ammunition for your gun or a bow and arrows is both complicated and heavily relies on whether or not the resources for it even spawn. You could argue that this is to add realism, however it’s more frustrating than anything when you are constantly attacked with no way to defend yourself.  

I like the artistic style, with its unique, hand painted look to it. I hope that they add more content to it in the future, as it would very much add to the replay value. As far as survival video games goes, it’s one of the best that I’ve played. If you want a survival game with good customization and resource management, this would be the game for it.

3.5/5

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Harvest Moon: Animal Parade Review

Harvest Moon: Animal Parade

You play a farmer trying to heal the divine tree, help the Harvest Goddess, and save the land. 

You can have a little ranch farm with cows, ostriches, horses, wee little goats, and more. You can grow a little orchard, huge flower gardens, and vast fields of crops. Or you can do none of that, and focus on foraging, fishing, and mining too. There’s so many animals! You can ride them around and adopt them into your home!

Not everything is available at the beginning, you really have to work to complete the story and heal the Harvest Goddess. Which I appreciate, not a fan of things just being handed to the player. 

You can have a spouse, and kids even. You can actually do things with them like go on walks and have family photos taken. There’s also even scripted events for them as well. 

The characters all have realistic, unique personalities and traits. Nice selection of marriage candidates, including but not limited to: tsundere chef, himbo lumberjack, Indiana Jones, Female Indiana Jones, girl next door, and saucy barmaid. 

The beginning is a bit of a slog until you can actually get some of your tools upgraded, and can feel grindy a little. If an item you need to progress is seasonal and/or isn’t sold in the shops, then you are effectively locked out of it until the next year. Very inconvenient if you don’t know what you are needing ahead of time.

In my overall opinion it is my favorite Harvest Moon game. There’s so much to do that it will keep you entertained no matter which playstyle you choose to spring for. 

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Stray (2022) - Review

Stray - Review

BlueTwelve Studio

In Stray, you are a cat who must explore a crumbling, futuristic robot city to find your way back to your family on the outside. Let me tell you, that cat is adorable. I’m not even a cat person (allergies) but I love watching their little animations. Just the fact that you can trip people, claw up carpets, and knock things over helped sell the game for me. There’s even a little designated meow button!

This game is gorgeous to look at. There is a visual variety that provides nice contrast in the environment. There is lush greenery entwined with the desolate and abandoned infrastructure with its glaring neon signs. The soundtrack and ambiance build the atmosphere, and help create that sense of curiosity and caution. The level design is *chef’s kiss*. Stray expertly utilizes vertical level design in both the sprawling cityscape and the claustrophobic tunnels, . There’s very little empty space that doesn’t serve a purpose or help further the immersion. The environment is rich with so little details that make a realistic and lively city, with  graffiti on the walls crumbling tiles and trash to show the city’s disrepair. The gameplay is quite fun, and the game treats the player with respect in the puzzles and side missions. 

The robots in this game have taken on personalities and little quirks, and it’s pretty cute actually. They have such heart and emotions, it’s kinda hard not to find them just a bit endearing. 

Stray is a treat. It is rather short, and I was able to beat it in under five hours, but you can take however long you like. Maybe you want to ponder the question of what is the meaning of being human, and what is our purpose? Or maybe you just want to enjoy being  a cat and creating chaos. Either way, this is the game for you.

4/5