Weekend Gaming Playlist
Like many of you, I find myself halfway through January and still buried under a pile of unplayed games. Whether they be Christmas presents, games grabbed in the mad dash of holiday sales, or titles under review, there doesn’t seem to be a clear end in sight. I find myself sneaking some extra time after the wife and kid go to sleep, losing precious hours of rest in exchange for the joy found in diving into new, imaginative RPG worlds. In this week’s case, I’m also building a few of my own.
BQM: Block Quest Maker
I was a big fan of Super Mario Maker, putting dozens of hours into building both crushingly difficult and more measured levels for the hordes of Mario fans out there. During all my time spent with that Wii U gem (which sorely needs a sequel on Switch), I constantly found myself wishing for a similar title for making isometric, Zelda-style adventures. This week, I’ve been blessed with such an opportunity. I’ve only just cleared the tutorial stages, but I’m already seeing a lot of promise for this little dungeon-building game, and I look forward to sharing my creations with its significantly more limited audience soon.
Minecraft
My love for crafting games goes beyond the likes of Mario Maker or the Switch release of Dragon Quest Builders. While until recently I had never put any time into the mega-hit that is Minecraft, I did put hundreds of hours into its 2D counterpart – Terraria. For the past several weeks, I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to not only take the plunge into the crafting title that started at all, but I’ve had three of my brothers come along for the ride. We all grew up playing games together, and despite our careers taking us all to different parts of the country, gaming has kept us linked together no matter what life has thrown at us. This weekend I’ll be sure to enjoy at least a few hours clocked into our shared server as we tackle what is apparently a major milestone – killing the Ender Dragon.
The Longest Five Minutes
Yet another Christmas boon that I’ve been slowly plucking away at. Despite a large chunk of my gaming time being eaten up by SwitchRPG reviews and Minecraft, I’ve been sneaking a little time here and there to relive the memories of the chosen hero, Flash Back, as he tries to remember his own life in the face of his adventure’s final boss – The Demon King. While nothing in the combat or questing system of The Longest Five Minutes is as innovative or intriguing as its premise, I’m still finding enjoyment from the humorous character interactions, colorful spritework, and easy-going pacing. This game has been a great “RPG palate cleanser” that I hope to sink more hours into as soon as I can.
All of this (and probably some absent-minded grinding in Final Fantasy: Record Keeper) for me for the next few days. How is your gaming slate shaping up this weekend?
