Gaming Couch

Just a quick update. I got home from this weekend of gaming with the Long Island Retro Gaming Expo and NYC Plays back to back. Fair to say, I am dead tired. Just wanted to drop this little message for everyone. The next episode will be pushed back to tomorrow (8/13) at 8pm and I will just break down and explore the games I had a chance to play these two days. Next Sunday is back on a normal schedule with Season 2 gaming history and looking at Super Smash Brothers.

Episode 9 of Gaming Couch. As I look over everything I feel like I touched base on just about everything I could about 'why games are good'. Be it mechanics, story, characters, or something else, I believe I've reached a point of redoing old ideas. For now at least. This time, I just want to have a heart to heart. Why do I play games? Why do you play games? I just want to talk about that. I first created this podcast with that intention. Just thinking about why I play games and why you do also. I'm taking a moment to explore that.

This is looking to be the end of Season 1, Playing the Game, I'm looking into some ideas of Season 2 and coming back strong. Looking to take next week off for two different convenstions/expos that I am going to. Regardless, I will at least post some update to keep everyone in the loop. Until then, happy hunting!

Episode 8 of Gaming Couch. Multiplier games are a fantastic thing. They provide constant replay value as the goal you are aming for is the same for the enemy is always different. Three games that have a unqiue, mind game style of multiplier is Assassin's Creed Brotherhood (November 2010), Panic Station (Unknown release date but a Board Game), and Betrayal at House on the Hill (October 2010). These games add some extra suspense to the gameplay.

Episode 7 of Gaming Couch. The story, and in turn the ending, to a game is very important. What happens if the ending falls short of what we are looking for? Looking at the Mass Effect series, we can compare how each game of the original trilogy handles it's ending in terms of story and gameplay.

Episode 6 of Gaming Couch. We all have that one friend, family member, teacher, mentor, or what have you that taught us something. We remember them dearly for that lesson they taught us. Real people aren't the only ones that can do that for us. Many video games give us memorable characters that stick with us for different reasons. Today we look into some of those lessons and what it takes to be such a great character. The three games on for today are Dragon Age: Origins (November 2009), Bioshock (August 2007), Valkyria Chronicles (April 2008).

Episode 5 of Gaming Couch! Sometimes we need a little more then a straight forward challenge. With a little bit of randomness thrown into the mix we suddenly have a game that we can play over and over again for hours on end. Just hope that it is in your favor. We will look at the games Kirby Air Ride (2003), Slay the Spire (2018 Beta), and Armello (2015).

Tom Francis wrote an amazing article about the simple math that goes into Slay the Spire. Give it a read! https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2018/07/05/what-works-and-why-juicy-maths-in-slay-the-spire/#more-557301

Episode 4 of Gaming Couch. CRASH BANDICOOT N SANE TRILOGY WOOH! I am a Crash fangirl at heart. And on June 29th I finally got to buy it on PC and replay those glory days. Is it a challenge though? Can we compare it to things like Dark Souls? The mechanics of the game are what makes it difficult, so what does that mean for Crash Bandicoot?

Here is a video that compares the jumping of Crash from the original to the remaster. Check it out and see what those slight changes can mean for us: https://twitter.com/twitter/statuses/881967130110943239

Also this week my niece was visiting so she joined me to listen in during the recording and wanted to say "Hellos" to everyone.

Episode 3 of Gaming Couch.

A game can have the greatest story in the industry but if there is no way for the player to interact with it, will it be fun and engaging? Today, we look at some unique mechanics that make some games stand out in their genre. We will highlight Crypt of the Necrodancer, Vanquish, and Malifaux.

Quick note, I know during my discussion of Vanquish I had said Augmented Reality instead of Augmented REACTION (which is what it is really called) a few times. However, as the rule states, not fixing it in post. I want to keep it all natural. And I don't break my own rules.

Episode 2 of Gaming Couch. We look into the worlds of the stand alone games. The games that aren't in a whole series and how they go about creating an egaging world for the player in a single setting. The games highlighted today are Child of Light, Hellblade: Senau's Sacrifice, and Furi.

Episode 1 of Gaming Couch.

Why do we get so much enjoyment out of a game? What makes us enjoy a game series so much that we keep coming back for more? Join me on the couch and find out.