one hundred days of video games

rynne and kiera chat about video games for 100 days without doing any research or putting much thought into it

[sibsnight]

day 33 – arctic thunder (ages 9 and 7)

developed by midway games

released in 2001

rynne: game? kiera: ummmmm ummmmmmmmmmmmm idk man rynne: come on dude kiera: blah fuck rynne: arctic thunder? kiera: OH MY GOD ARCTIC THUNDER UNDER UNDER rynne: ARCTIC THUUUUUUNNDDDEERRRR

rynne: Was I a bear could you be a bear kiera: no? that’s not a memory that stands out for me rynne: look it up as a penance for being unable to choose kiera: I don’t see anything about bears rynne: BAH kiera: I mean I could see that being a thing but I don’t remember it 

rynne was thinking of PONZO

kiera: um how much money did we spend on this game rynne: many many quarters or tokens I guess I like to think we were the last generation of arcade rats but idk if that's actually true cause we went every week right for a while kiera: but only cause we had ice skating

FLOYD HALL ARENA: it had tasty ass fries

rynne: yeah but still we were always there eating those tasty ass fries kiera: this was mostly during irina’s tenure wasn’t it I remember her patiently suffering through us begging her to let us play again rynne: yeah kiera: I went back to the ice skating rink for some reason not too long ago and one of the screens for this game was all broken like half green and tilted so tragic rynne: nooo see we were the Last Of An Age

[sibsnight]

day 32 – nancy drew: the secret of shadow ranch (ages 11 and 9)

developed by her interactive

released in 2004

rynne: game? kiera: your turn to choose rynne: uh Nancy Drew the ranch one 

kiera: you had to pick tomatoes like ripe ones rynne: if you fucked up the food you got kicked out oh i remember I think we thought we were gonna get a warning So we screwed up on purpose And then we got kicked out kiera: what did we have to bake? a pie? rynne: Something like that kiera: I think I liked this one cause you could ride a horse?

kiera: also the end game was legitimately terrifying rynne: what was the end game was that the one filling up with water? kiera: no noo it was like the dude starts like chasing after you in like this house with a ton of doors and you have to switch things on the doors so he goes through the wrong one and falls through a hole legitimately terrifying

video by arglefumph

rynne: SHORTY NO kiera: so horrifying rynne: that was legitimately terrifying kiera: and then maximize it by 1000 for [REDACTED] 12 year old kiera rynne: you can't edit your own curses! only i can do that

rynne: so there wasn't actually ghost horse haunting the ranch? kiera: I don’t remember what it actually was rynne: like a robot? idk

[sibsnight]

day 31 – spore (ages 13 and 12)

developed by Maxis

released in 2008

(kiera's birthday present for me arrives)

rynne: ugh I'm nerding out over this MY THEORIES ABOUT KYLO REN'S LIGHTSABER ARE CONFIRMED I am enjoying my gift kiera: aw that's great now send it to meeee

rynne: what game are we talking about today kiera: y’know what I started thinking about the other day spore rynne: it's wasn't that fun everyone was disappointed kiera: it really wasn’t but I think we tricked ourselves into thinking it was fun I remember waking you up crazy early so we could play it rynne: I know we were super excited about it did you ever get to space? I don't think I did Kiera Whalen: I want to say I did didn’t we play together? Rynne Whalen: I think we did but then also made our own guys idk

kiera: being a bad guy was so much easier than being a good guy rynne: oh yeah kiera: bc like eating meat got you more evolution points than like veggies rynne: I remember trying to be a good tribesman and it being a pain in the ass kiera: I do wanna say I have a really specific memory of us getting up crazy early to play spore and I drank peppermint tea I think ‘cause I was going through my tea phase and then I got a stomachache

rynne: spore I have nothing to say i was excited for it and then it wasn't fun igspore it kiera: a great metaphor for life also did u take a 30 minute break just to come up with "igspore it" rynne: yes CHAT OVER

[sibsnight]

day 30 addendum (ages 20 and 19)

rynne: when the kush is too loud kiera: I had to google kush rynne: what a dork come on context clues the book is called stoner kiera: “too loud” though what does that mean rynne: That is also weed lingo kiera: oh rynne: the man on the book is high kiera: yes ok I got that

[sibsnight]

day 30 – enslaved: odyssey to the west (ages 16 and 15)

developed by ninja theory

released in 2013

kiera: ok so lets do an easy game to talk about rynne: don't wake daddy

kiera: wh what? we're not doing that rynne: It's a board game remember that kiera: oh shit!!! now that I looked it up it was scary rynne: now it's like don't wake sugar daddy amiright kiera: no but that’s exactly what I thought of rynne: what have we become tumblr has fucking warped our brains

rynne: Um okay a real game Enslaved odyssey to the west kiera: oh! I really like that game! rynne: i did never play it kiera: ugh it’s good I mean kinda rynne: what is the plot kiera: you’re like this ripped dude named monkey and then there’s this girl named trip who like needs to get home it’s based off the chinese tale thing and weapons are based off it and shit

rynne: what is the gameplay like kiera: it’s like you smash things pretty much exclusively and you level up too I think anyway so trip enslaves you she puts a collar thing on your head rynne: ENSLAVED kiera: ‘cause she’s kind a bitch I guess rynne: then you go west? kiera: yup

kiera: and everything’s really pretty it’s like an apocalyptic world but one of the green ones you fight robots bond w/ trip the dialogues pretty good if I remember genuinely funny at times oh yeah also trip can like tell you what to do and you have to do it but that’s not a gameplay thing its a story thing uh and then there’s a really stupid and abrupt ending and they never made a sequel

kiera: trip sounds awful but I really liked her when I played the game, I think she’d be like one of my top 10 maybe female gaming characters? maybe not 15 rynne: damn didn't you like get it in the bargain bin kiera: yeah I think I got it for pretty cheap it was one of those games where I played the demo a ton rynne: like the game called just cause 2 kiera: I was thinking of mirrors edge actually rynne: oh yeah that too 

kiera: i had low expectations but it's a pretty subtle game in its approach to storytelling rynne: sounds pretty cool would you say it enslaved you no rynne: TO THE GAKE COMSOLB okay I'm gonna go cry

[sibsnight]

day 29 – mass effect (ages 15 and 14)

developed by bioware

released in 2008

rynne:

what's our game kiera: Ummm my throat fucking hurts the game rynne: not a game kiera: ok um ummmm ummmmmmmmmm omg fukkit can you role the dice

rynne: how about mass effect one kiera: ok another game you finished before I did bc I never finished it rynne: whaaaa this was another game that taxed my attention to the max the gameplay did but I eventfully powered through I was totally captivated by the story stuff though kiera: yeah the gameplay in this game is such shit rynne: yeah it does kinda suck kiera: those cars rynne: c a r s?

kiera: you know those awful cars with balloons for wheels rynne: oh the mako yeah the mako is annoying rynne: I got trapped in crevasses and had to restart the game but I did like driving on the surfaces of other planets kiera: nah those car sections were the bane of my existence I think they were the main reason I ended up quitting the game 2/3rds through rynne: yeah they were annoying also the first time I played only as a solider which is the worst class rynne: um what else kiera: combat annoying and awful um awful romance options like kaidan or ashley that’s like deciding between plague or war (dramatic) what's the plot rynne: um you are commander shepard you can play his as Han Solo or jean luc Picard kiera: yes you were "job" shepard rynne: that's meeee although my second playthrough as "Langston" Shepard may have overshadowed job she was a super badass kiera: yeah han solo, picard, or fucking boring nobody rynne: um were you a boring nobody then who was neither a really cool dude or a badass asshole you chose to just be inconsistent? kiera: I tried to be interesting in the second game like go bad on some choices good on others but that fucked me over and lead to legion’s death because of that [EXPLETIVE DELETED] miranda (don’t put that word in the blog tho)

rynne: mass effect so first of all collin got me it for my birthday in like 2008 kiera: oh yeah thinking it would be a shit game rynne: no I think I thought it was a shit game I had never heard of it before I think he was super excited about it but I really wanted to play oblivion and I was like this world isn't open enough for me so I put it down and then years later I kept giving collin crappy games cause I thought that was the standard but he pretty much gave me my favorite game of all time which is mass effect 3 kiera: ugh u fuckup

[sibsnight]

winter break hiatus

December 21st, 2015

kiera: don’t we still have a game chat you haven’t posted yet? rynne: yeah but i am too sad to be stressed out about my video game blog but i will put it up tomorrow or something kiera: ok

December 23rd, 2015

kiera: ugh rynne this christmas sucks balls already

December 24th, 2015

rynne: yo merry xmas eve dad is reading a poem he wrote its about banks wanna skype? kiera: i can’t I’m in the middle of drunk german xmas ugh dude they keep telling me too drink more wine what’s going on

December 25th, 2015

kiera: fmk han luke leia rynne: ugh I’m attracted to none of them i think kill han kiera: no fuck han marry luke and kill leia luke’s a whiny pain in the ass rynne: luke was cute before he gets in a car crash and became ugly han’s a dickhead kiera: okay fmk finn rey or poe rynne: that’s so hard rey = bae but finn is so cute kiera: poor poe we’re gonna murder him i’m not worthy of being married to rey i would feel inadequate for the rest of my life rynne: finn is husband material kiera: exactly rynne: poe can fuck bb8 kiera: dude bb8 is a child rynne: what he’s a robot kiera: his name is literally baby rynne: yeah like hey bb roll on over here kiera: ur uninvited to germany merry christmas rynne: merry xmas sis

December 29th, 2015

kiera: yo its ur birthday in germany happy birthday herzlich Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag rynne: what is that Star Wars language Thanks sis What the fuck that whole thing means happy birthday? Oh it means Warm congratulations on the birthday? kiera: yeah it’s legit how germans say happy birthday

kiera: kylo rynne rynne: nooooooo I hate you kiera: im sending it to mom “Very funny” - Dr. Lauren Goodwyn

December 31st, 2015

rynne: HAPPY NEW YEAR IM 24 MINS LATE ITS VERY CONFUSING kiera: it was weird counting down in german

January 1st, 2016

rynne: yo Guess whose mostly drunk and mostly sad :( :( :( (went to germany to visit kiera)

January 11th, 2016

kiera: whos david bowie rynne: very famous rock/pop singer The goblin king in labyrinth WHAT HE DIED WHAT THE FUCK

January 12th, 2016

rynne: cher/carrie fisher my ship kiera: oh my god *kylo ren voice* you’re so right cherrie PERFECT SHIP NAME rynne:ahhhhhhhh

[sibsnight]

day 28 – san francisco rush: extreme racing (ages 11 and 10)

developed by atari games and midway games

released in 1997

rynne: what's our game something shitty that I don't have to put a lot of effort in RUSH the N64 game we played with Collin at his cabin that one time was that the time you dressed up as a boy kiera: I think so rush was so fucking awesome

oh my god “IT’S DANGEROUS” holy shit that brings me back wow

rynne: russhhhhhhh yeah it was sweet the moment when we crashed into collin at full speed amazing kiera: the moment I remember best was when like one person flew over the other person I don’t remember who it was rynne: is this the same memory kiera: in mine they didn’t crash rynne: in mine someone was driving up a hill and Collin was racing down it and we didn't see him over the top of the hill and he just flew right into us he was in the air it was so sudden I think this is the same memory but I'm pretty sure everyone exploded kiera: no I don’t think that’s my memory my memory was inside and no one exploded

rynne: what else kiera: um we played split screen on a really tiny tv right rynne: yup it wasn't so tiny at the time it was just a normal small tv

kiera: did we play this game more than once or was it just one really memorable game session? rynne: i think there was one super memorable game session and we played it a couple of times after that

[sibsnight]

day 27 – assassin’s creed (ages 14 and 13)

developed by ubisoft montreal

released in 2007

kiera: this is a weird sibs game because you were the one that went ahead and beat it first and not me rynne: that rarely happens Usually I get bored and impatient and then you beat and I'm chagrined kiera: i don’t regret not beating screed 1 though i got through all the good parts rynne: it is a pretty frustrating game i remember just fucking losing it at one part just literally tearing my hair out because the end game is they just throw 5000 guys at you kiera: yup I remember the screams

rynne: but there's a lot of good stuff in here kiera: that’s what I mean there were a lot of interesting ideas but not a lot of polish and then screed two just polishes the shit out of everything and makes the game actually fun to play rynne: see I actually think this is my favorite of the AC games because you have to work really hard to escape from the guards when they start to chase you otherwise they'd just follow you everywhere i would climb up the highest tower i could find and fight them one by one on this tiny ledge it was awesome kiera: hm I never did that and tbh that doesn’t sound that fun to me rynne: It was just so cinematic the whole city below you guys trying to jump on the ledge and missing 'cause it was too crowded me humming the pirates of the caribbean theme song to myself

rynne: you stopped playing these what after ac brotherhood kiera: yeah pretty much rynne: the pirate one is pretty great kiera: it’s just like the kind of game i don’t have much patience for nowadays but one i could get really into in my early video gaming years rynne: yeah see these have become the perfect rynne filler games they're not hard and when i fail at the fucking annoying story quests you can just free run around and stab people kiera: eh I just have no time for like games that are only gameplay I mean not really no time just very little interest rynne: oh ho hoooo look at miss culture kiera: I know I’m just too smart rynne: I actually feel like I have a lot to talk about kiera: no I do too like how lucy looked like a fish

kiera: . . . do u ever realize ur problematic rynne: Yes um what is the plot of screed kiera: no you answer that since u finished the game actually rynne: um you are a future man desmond played by nolan north is that right kiera: oh yeah apparently i forgot about that because desmond is a nothing character I don’t give a shit about rynne: "what does it mean I wonder" remember that

rynne: um haha so Desmond ancestor was a murder guy and there's this machine that allows you to access his memories then you are the stab guy in the past and you learn the assassin's creed the end kiera: and desmond is imprisoned by dudes? why? I don’t remember rynne: they are evil templars and they captured you you are like an ex-assassin you grew up in a weird assassin cult but then left to become a bartender kiera: and what’s the assassin plot rynne: you have to stab a buncha corrupt dudes cause you fucked up and got demoted kiera: in jesus time rynne: well in the crusades 1000 years later than jesus kiera: in post jesus time rynne: yeah

rynne: and then the head assassin turns out to evil and the guy wants the magic alien apple that controls minds but you kill him and learn the assassins creed kiera: do they actually use that phrase in the game rynne: yeah this is pretty much the only one that does kiera: and you could pretty much just stab people with daggers or swords right none of the cool high tech stuff in the next game rynne: yeah Just the hidden blade and a sword but that was kinda fun also this way more assassination oriented than the other games you could run up and stab whomever you were supposed to or you could be clever and sneaky and do it in a creative way it was up to you the later games are less open kiera: was this game as pretty as screed 2? i remember the people looking ugly rynne: um it was really impressive when it first came out idk about the people though kiera: I just remember lucy who looks really bad in the first game but in the second they decided she needed to be a love interest and she gets a total facelift rynne: she always looked kinda bad then you fucking stab her kiera: which game is that? the end of brotherhood it's the shitty cliffhanger ending and then they really don't bring it up again wait was she secretly evil kiera: idk

rynne: altiar (the past murder man) has a shitty american accent for some reason kiera: altair is also pretty boring tho rynne: I actually think I have the most fondness for ratonhnhaké:ton from three even if he is like kinda a dolt I actually really liked 3 when I was playing it kiera: why? isn’t it just like 2 but with bad voice acting and less pretty views rynne: the fight system upgrade was pretty welcome and i like the woods free-running even as watered down as it was i'm kinda sad I haven't played the two recent ones kiera: what are the locations of those? rynne: um the French Revolution and Victorian England kiera: oh cool altho also predictable where’s the japanese samurai one rynne: yeah I was just about to say that probably coming soon what about a caveman one that would be kinda neat you could ride a mammoth kiera: haha yeah they’ve given themselves no time constraints but are still pretty bent on sticking to like pretty recent history rynne: yeah they always teased a future one with desmond but then when it finally happened in three it was so crappy then he dies for no reason kiera: wait what? wtf desmond dies? who’s the dude in 4 and 5 then? rynne: he is murdered by a ghost because they were tired of his plot line in 4 his memories are harvested from his dead body kiera: oh god rynne: and idk about 5 and 6 kiera: yeah poor desmond what a pointless video game character rynne: so pointless kiera: oh my god german bender sounds hilarious rynne: show me 

rynne: what is wrong with bender his voice is weird and deep although American bender has a pretty odd voice what's that guys name Jake from adventure time kiera: idk rynne: I used to know these things

[sibsnight]

betrayed by sister

[sibsnight]

day 26 – the long dark (ages 19 and 18)

developed by hinterland 

released in 2014 

kiera: um should we talk about the long dark? rynne: Oh sweet the long dark also known as the wolfs among us kiera: god rynne: it's pretty sweet kiera: yes I agree

kiera: but I kinda felt like it was really fun for the first 5 or so hours of gameplay maybe the first 6 or 7 but when it got boring it got boring really fast rynne: there's just not enough to do in the current version of the game or at least the one we played last summer who knows what it'll be like when you come back from germany kiera: I actually redownloaded it recently because there was an update but I’m not really fond of it the interface is much uglier rynne: really why they do that kiera: like there’s this weird full naked body diagram thing and I think there are new spaces now? but like you have to explore the current map to find them and I just didn’t have the patience to do it rynne: that sounds kinda cool yeah the first couple hours were great scrounging up enough resources to allow to venture into new areas being chased by murderthings kiera what's the plot kiera: you literally just stated it

rynne: YOU ARE JENNIFER HALE WHOS PLANE HAS CRASHED kiera: and your acting is weirdly not that good rynne: AND ALSO ITS... THE APOCOLYPSS AND YOU HAVE TO SURVIVE IN THE WILD why do they even need voice actors to speak again? kiera: they had to continue the great kickstarter tradition of using way too much money on actors rynne: how about no actors until you actually make a story mode otherwise you don't need troy baker to be like brrrr i'm cold kiera: I am really excited for the story mode i’m definitely gonna play it again like crazy when that’s released random note this cover is beautiful as fuck

rynne: woahhh I just want the maps to be bigger kiera: i don't know if the maps being bigger would automatically solve my boredom of the game? rynne: yeah it would be great more exploring You would feel like you were actually surviving kiera: i kinda just wish there was a little more permanency like when you found a house you could kinda make it more sustainable? actually scratch that because one of the problems was like you’d find a good house and you’d do a pretty good job keeping yourself warm and fed and that’s when it gets boring rynne: well I always wanted you to stay in the same place for as long as you could but I don't think you wanted to kiera: i mean i would be so into it if you could build stuff maybe? (altho you can build traps and stuff) rynne: you just wanna play fallout 4 kiera: but fallout 4 is not a game I want to have that rynne: why not that's cool kiera: idk maybe it’ll be great fallout 4 is just a far out dream rynne: one day sis one day 

rynne: Can we talk about how wolves are terrifying kiera: so horrifying especially that one in the fucking dam ‘cause it was like the 1st time we played and we were so happy to find shelter and we heard it panting for so long but nothing happened so we were like ‘whatevs’ and then death rynne: oh my god and it wasn't an instant death either there were horrible moments where we didn't know what to do kiera: we fought valiantly and then our throat was torn out kiera: and then the second time we got killed was with the family just as i was talking about how we hadn't seen any wolves rynne: that was also stressful kiera: also we played it in german rynne: Oh yeah that was hilarious

[sibsnight]

day 25 – the amazon trail: 3rd edition (ages 10 and 8)

developed by the minnesota educational computing corporation

 released in 1998

kiera: today I was thinking of like the oregon trail game but with the amazon rainforest? rynne: oh shit the amazon trail is that what it was called kiera: it was not called that was it rynne: idk kiera: oh shit it was rynne: all I remember is boats being in a boat did we like that game kiera: I did until hitler fucked me over

rynne: hä? hitler kiera: ok this is how I remember it but it’s probably not right but like there was one part where you pull up on an island and like hitler’s there? like I remember it being hitler but that makes no sense I guess just an asshole rynne: what the fuck kiera: but he won’t let you leave and he forces you to trade with him again and again and again for shit prices and I quit after that because I could not find a way to get past hitler kiera: oh I found it rynne: it's not really hitler right kiera: he wasn’t a hitler he was a fucking conquistador why did I remember that so strongly as being hitler ah you’re supposed to give him food that makes him throw up then you leave rynne: the struggle is real

rynne: what is the plot of the Amazon trail a stupid title don't call going up a river the "amazon trail" it is obviously not a trail kiera: uh you go up the amazon you can choose a guide and then you like fish collect fruit in the jungle to eat and as you go down the river you often run into locals who give you educational info you get a boat and then hitler stops your progress and makes you quit the game rynne: I have very little recollection kiera: I really liked it until it ruined my life and I couldn’t play anymore the conquistador thing really freaked me out thanks hitler

kiera: like you couldn’t leave! how horrifying is that! rynne: you had to poison him kiera: i know but how the fuck was I supposed to know that i was a dumbass kid i would totally love to play this game again torrent it brah dude I will go to german jail i’m too young for Gefängnis 

rynne: I bet German jail is soft ass time

[sibsnight]

day 24 – halo 3 (ages 14 and 12)

developed by bungie

released in 2007

kiera: I’m going to see the new pixar movie in german rynne: what's our movie I mean our game kiera: i picked yesterday tho rynne: okay our game is halo 3 the first 360 game I ever owned and the best 

kiera: did we really own it much before other games? rynne: i was given to us with our xbox kiera: ah with rockband rynne: is that true I forgot about that

rynne: um so we mostly only played one multiplayer level and game mode the level sandtraps with only rockets kiera: sandtraps rocket was a stroke of genius on our part rynne: we can't be the only ones to do it right kiera: I mean probably not but? maybe? kiera: explain the plot of halo 3 rynne: you are master chief green man with a gun blue cortana voiced by zoe from left 4 dead is missing or she was ate by a zombie or something (she is your robot girlfriend)

rynne: um zombies are invading the same time aliens are invading your best friend is another alien from the aliens that turned good you need to find something called an ark which is a big...space desert? and then wheatley from portal 2 helps you 

rynne: your plan is to blow up "the halo" wheatly is like no then you kill him and blow up the halo 3 the end kiera: all I remember is that wheatly kills that other guy the commandor dude and man I totally forgot zoey voiced cortana rynne: yup kiera: did you like the campaign rynne: it was super confusing because I didn't play halo 1 or 2 do you remember playing the final level through where the ground is falling kiera: the only one I remember playing rynne: we played that with Julia right kiera: hm maybe? that doesn’t stick out in my mind rynne: maybe cause you weren't in to video games yet that would happen later kiera: I don’t think that’s entirely true? I just didn’t like halo that much

rynne: halo's story is definitely not interesting at all but I have countless memories of playing rockets on sandtraps with my friends and you and dad i was always trying to get you to come down and play with us kiera: oh with your friends? rynne: yeah when we needed an extra person kiera: i remember the easter where all we did was play halo very fondly rynne: ah yes didn't we skip church the whole family kiera: yes the most magical easter ever rynne: our Easter gifts were more controllers

[sibsnight]

day 23– the last of us: left behind (ages 19 and 17)

developed by naughty dog

released in 2014

kiera: I kinda feel like talking about left behind today rynne: sweet I never ended up beating it the stupid people shot at me kiera: the last level is really ridiculously hard rynne: ETHICS DISCLOSURE: KIERA AND I VISTED NAUGHTY DOG WHEN THEY WERE WORKING ON THIS GAME kiera: yes and I am clearly the inspiration for ellie rynne: nope 

rynne:

I remember having a frankly unreasonable take about them smooching kiera: yeah you didn’t like it rynne: whatever i guess cause it wasn't brought up in the main game or something idk I don't feel that way now kiera: I was watching a letsplay today (of the german version which is pretty good) and I liked it even more than the first time I played it rynne: I'll do the plot You are two girls in the zombine apocalypse then ya smooch then an annoying end game happens wait how does the game end kiera: well you’re also flashing back to helping joel from the main game and there’s a huge shootout in like a mall rynne: oh right That's why people are shooting at you 

kiera: yeah no one shoots at you in the ellie/riley flashback it’s just pure joy for like 90% of it rynne: what do you do kiera: its just a dating simulator rynne: ride a carasoul? I remember that kiera: yup and say jokes and take photos rynne: oh right the joke book do we see them get bit by zombines kiera: yeah because they’re stupid and are blasting songs rynne: I don't think I got to that point kiera: no you did if you saw the kiss you def saw them start to get attacked rynne: yeah but I think when they discover they get bit that’s after the horrible shooting at me does it show the part where they both decide to go zom together kiera: yeah go watch it real quick

rynne only watches this when he’s editing the transcript and it’s way too real for him at the moment

kiera: the joel part of this dlc is really weak like it’s just shooting and shooting and shooting and we know how it’s gonna end rynne: would it have been better if they integrated it into the main game? kiera: eh but the main game is already so long I just don’t think we need it rynne: make it longererrrrrr kiera: I think left behind would’ve been good with only ellie and riley parts um the carousel part is almost as joyful as the famous giraffe scene in TLOU rynne: I remember my takes WHY CANT WE PLAY A GAME ABOUT FEMALE FRIENDSHIP and WHERE ARE THE GAMES ABOUT BOYS SMOOCHING both kinda valid? but I don't think this game is bad or misguided kiera: like I agree w both of those points kinda but honestly this is one of my favorite like. . . I’m not sure how to phrase it but like my favorite of all the “lesbian stories”? like not just in video games overalll rynne: hmm I need to rewatch it but I'm feeling emotional rn and don't want to

rynne: see the problem is and im reasonably sure of this it's easiest for male creators to make stories about young girls in love because both lesbianism and young girls are already fetishized by men not that the creators are necessarily fetishizing it but if they had to make a story about young boys kissing all the time it would have to make them confront things they are uncomfortable with kiera: wait I’m going to go eat dinner but I disagree w you so stay tuned rynne: ILL FIGHT YOU kiera: basically I think that's a fair argument to make for a game like gone home because there it seemed to me like they were trying to be edgy and out of the box but here it felt really natural and like I don't think it's fair to take this victory away because some people fetishize it or because it could be "more progressive" like this was a dlc about Ellie where would two boys come into it anyway and let's not forget that the last of us had a gay character in the main game and if anything I think most gamer dudes reactions were more along the line of "oh she's too young for this" or "she's not a lesbian she's too young to know yet" and not "oh man so hot" (although obviously people thought that) and like from reactions of people I followed on tumblr at the time I would say that overall the queer women gaming community thought it was really well done and like really important because we were all thinking that they were just going to hint at it but they took it the whole way and did it tastefully rynne: I wasn't saying that the game is sexualized I don't think it is i just think it's easier for men to create and consume media about young female romances than about other LGBT subjects Kiera: I’m not disputing that but it’s even easier for men to leave out LGBTQ people altogether rynne: sure kiera: i get the point you’re trying to make, but also I think left behind is a really good step in lgbt representation rynne: word yeah I'm not denying that kiera: and I also feel like it doesn’t try to shove its being progressiveness in your face like it could’ve rynne: mom is watching a video of sex reassignment surgery kiera: why? rynne:

rynne: "There's an awful lot of cutting here" kiera: why is this making me homesick

[sibsnight]

day 22 – depression quest (ages 20 and 19)

developed  by zoe quinn, patrick lindsey and isaac schankler

released in 2013

(rynne is feeling down)

rynne: todays game is depression quest ha ha kiera: 😟 but yeah I’ve played it it’s actually a good game so is depression quest our game of the day? rynne: no because I turned it off it was depressing me kiera: it's quest is complete

rynne: um I'm planning to play it more (he does so a few days later)

rynne: what is the plot of depression quest kiera: you’re a depressed DUDE rynne: NO A WOMAN not a doubt in my mind kiera: man no I could not get rid of the idea she was a boy even tho I was like ‘don’t be heteronormative kiera rynne: is it supposed to be ambiguous kiera: yeah I think so i mean he was /so/ a boy to me rynne: it's weird cause they give your girlfriend Alex a gender ambiguous name and use "they" pronouns but other times call her "she" kiera: yeah! and call her ‘your partner’ i was thinking the exact same thing

kiera: anyway I think its a good game I think it suffers from being too simple sometimes? rynne: no what's the plot kiera: oh well you’re a depressed guy who finds no meaning in work or life um you have a girlfriend and you don’t think you’re good enough for her and then decisions you make as a player affect if you get more depressed or better 

as expert video games bloggers, rynne and kiera forget to mention the central mechanic of the game, namely that otherwise reasonable actions and responses are unselectable according to the nature of your depression

rynne: yup i agree that's it too simple I was pretty affected while playing it but after I was like huh i wonder if reading things like marbles took away some of the impact things that kinda go more in depth about what it's like to have a mental illness kiera: don't forget hyperbole and a half kiera: it’s obvious what’s going to make you better rynne: what happens if you take meds that's the only think I didn't do kiera: really? rynne: yeah kiera: why? rynne: i was in character and didn't want to do it and i didn't have time to go back and see what would happen kiera: so i took meds and therapy and i got clearly the happiest ending which I thought was kinda forced because sometimes you hate your therapist and sometimes the meds' side effects fuck up your life but at the same time this game might have been too much of a downer if there was no clear ‘happy’ ending? rynne: I was fine when I didn't take the meds idk I thought that was pretty responsible of them as like a general overview on depression meds or not if you're gonna get better you probably did it through some kind of help anyway I'm taking a shower kiera: I’ll try to be awake when ur back but no promises

rynne: yo kiera: hey still here um I’m not sure if I have much more to say i don’t think i liked the game as much as you did? but also i’d played it before but I think it’s a good like depression 101 course rynne: yeah I wish it went a little deeper yeah I thought the transitions were weak kiera: oh really? rynne: yeah like it would suddenly be like you are very depressed and want to not live i was like woah when did that happen kiera: I didn’t get that sense at all I thought the sound wasn’t as special as they thought and the static=depression thing is a pretty obvious artistic choice

rynne: no that's cool I found that pretty enlightening maybe not the visuals but the simile used in the text kiera: hä? which simile rynne: just the notion that there is static in your head that intensifies when your depression gets worse kiera: oh. yeah I guess i’ve heard that comparison a lot so its kinda lost its intensity for me? rynne: yeah that was new for me whatever 

rynne: um the fact that gamergaters hate this game is mind blisteringly stupid i mean people are always gonna be alienating shitheads about thing the care about just look any tumblr fandoms but i don't think any group has laid claim to an entire medium before i mean you don't see comics nerds mad that girls like pretentious graphic novels there being dicks about other people liking the comics they like the gamergaters would never play games like dq in a thousand years but they hate them? kiera: bc those dastardly women created them rynne: talk about depressing rynne: when you're 14 you effectively stop changing in major ways kiera: nahhhhh I disagree rynne: This is a planet of 14 years olds and younger accept my hot take kiera: it’s bullshit and defeatest tho so no rynne: bah

[sibsnight]

day 21 – spy fox in: cheese chase (ages 6 and 5)

developed by humongous entertainment

released in 1998

Its thanksgiving! kiera skypes in from germany. rynne has a great time when he is not complaining about [THANKSGIVING RELATIVE], who gets on his nerves. 

kiera: oh man rynne: What is the plot of SLY FOX CHEESE CHASE kiera: ur a fox who eats cheese? and is chasing a guy

rynne: You are on a jetski right kiera: but also a motorcycle?

rynne: maybe and we never got past one level the water one kiera: We never beat the game beating it seemed impossible we’d beat it in like one try now oh dude I’m watching a walkthrough

kiera: flashbacks “stop where you are! you're under spy arrest” it doesn’t look that fun tho tbh? I’m not sure if I understand the appeal it had for us kiera: was spy fox a dude? like was this part of a series or just a stand alone game? rynne: yeah it was a crappy spin off of some adventure games kiera: ok dude I’m going to bed rynne: one second if you ran in to old rotten cheese it make a gross sound kiera: yup rynne: okay you can got to bed kiera: gnight rynne: [THANKSGIVING RELATIVE] is a punk ass bitch

[sibsnight]

day 20 – british intelligence officers exam (ages 17 and 16)

developed by hide&seek

released in 2012

rynne: kiera what is the plot of the James Bond text adventure kiera: honestly I don't remember too much which is why i'm bummed I can't replay it but you like advise agents rynne: wait why can't you replay it the game is gone??? kiera: yeah as far as I can tell rynne: it was clever because you felt like a cool spy person at headquarters you were supposed to advise spies in their missions which made the text adventure stuff feel pretty realistic even if the concept didn't that much sense the stupid agents are useless apparently

kiera: do you remember much of the plot i remember in the first one you defused a bomb rynne: yeah kiera: and the solution was like you had to do them in the rainbow order but I don’t remember the others rynne: I just remember the end game where someone is impersonating an agent and you have to figure it out and not help them kiera: oh yeah goddammit that was a cool fucking game

rynne: i would love if it was ever expanded in to a fully fledged game kiera: still text adventurey? rynne: yeah just more kiera: i could dig it maybe a little more interactive with sounds and shit rynne: no see I like that it's immersive you're just a dude in front of a computer kiera: but people could maybe radio in? send you audio clips? rynne: sure 

kiera: anyway james bond game definitely forgoes one of the main factors of the james bond series like you don’t bang any chicks rynne: yeah it's definitely not something that's too informed by the james bond brand for one thing james isn't going on internet chat help lines when he's in trouble kiera: do you remember all the product placement in that games i didn't until I looked at the kotaku article it was with that certain brand of computers like Sony whatever rynne: idk is there a lets play of it?

kiera: there is but tumblr won’t load it for some reason, apparently forcing you to type words in my mouth and just paste it here https://youtu.be/Yc3FTBiYv1s rynne: cool

kiera: James Bond it was fun! and it really stuck with me for a promotional text based game rynne: it was cool and dope i'm gonna shove shitty food in my face cause I'm bored kiera: where are you rn? still in new mexico? rynne: no houston i hate this airport crappy pop music is blaring 24/7 kiera: it’s an ok airport rynne: I'm letting this kid borrow my charger and it's a pain in the ass my phone! kiera: aw that’s nice though rynne: whatever