Weekend Rollback

     Doing these game streams for my son to have something to watch has really driven me to keep up a lot better with posting to my blog here.  I've got another video, hanging around the fifteen minute mark, ready to be viewed.  What I'm finding really interesting is just how easy it is to get fifteen minutes of streaming done.  I keep sitting down telling myself I've only got five minutes and I'll just do something quick, and then all of a sudden the video is three times longer than I expected.

     Now onto the topic today.  I've been trying to work with the equipment I have at the moment, so the videos are all mobile games so far, which got me thinking about good mobile games, or at least really popular ones, which led me to remembering Clash of Clans.  This title was once king of the land prior to titles like Fortnite, and about half a decade ago it seemed like everybody was playing Clash.  It even spawned a television show you could watch on Google Play, which I believe landed two seasons.  Still popular today, it sadly got eclipsed rapidly, as I said, by the ascension of Fortnite and PUBG.  Still, the RTS-like PVP battle-builder was revolutionary in its legitimizing mobile gaming, so I thought a quick video reminding older players, and introducing younger ones, was a great idea.  So here it is folks, an intro to Clash-of-Clans:

And Another One Down

     So, got a little free time this morning, real early, and recorded another let's play, this time for Kingdom Hearts Union Cross.  I honestly feel terrible that I haven't finished this game yet, but there are just so many levels that I could probably do two dozen videos on them.  I'll make sure to post them all if I do.

     Once again, this is just a shorter video intended to get some content up on the channel so my boy has some gaming TV to watch.  Though at this rate that might turn into something more, as he is still really excited about this project and wants more.

     Knowing that, I've set myself an initial goal to reach of recording a minimum of twenty four hours of content for the channel, and if I can accomplish that in a timely fashion, I may invest in more hardware for recording these videos, and may branch into trying to dig up gaming news as well.  Who knows, this may turn into a totally legitimate YouTube Channel.  Until then, I hope you enjoy my little videos.  Here's todays:

Starting a New Stream

     So my son demanded earlier today that I let him watch some let's play streams on YouTube, and he really wanted to watch some video game videos.  I told him he needed to wait until I could find something appropriate for him to watch.  Almost forty minutes later my son gave up waiting and went to play in his room, and I still hadn't found a gaming stream that was appropriate for his age.  This led to me thinking, 'hey, I have the skill and equipment to produce content, so I will.'

     So i sat down and recorded my first YouTube gaming stream, and now my son has something to watch.

     This first video is simple stream of Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, and is just an introduction to this new project, really.  I hope you all enjoy it, and leave me a comment or message with any feedback or ideas.  Enjoy:

A Trainwreck You Can't Look Away From

     A trainwreck is always a disastrous thing, and not to make too light of that, I have to say that people who make a train simulation game should be very aware of that.  Imagine my surprise then, when I download the gorgeous looking TrainStation 2 for Android.  It only took me five minutes of game play to realize it was a flaming trainwreck of a game.

     When I had initially saw the commercials for this title, I was awed by the beautiful look of the trains, and the countryside you get to take them through (disclaimer: I am a sucker for trains).  I was excited by the possibility to set up and run trains down the tracks, figuring that even basic free-to-play mobile titles like this have a certain element of base building, to keep you vested in the growth of whatever group you are supporting, and to keep you dropping real cash into loot-box bin.

     But no, this game seems like it's developers know it is nothing more than just whale bait, so much so they don't waste any time on a real game tutorial, and within two minutes of starting just show you the shop and the in-game currency, telling you to just by new trains to get things done faster.  This nonchalant manner is illustrated best by how the whole game seems to be just dispatch train from home base, fetch quest resource, deliver resource, return to home station.  You don't get the opportunity to lay your own track, or decide the layout of your buildings, it's just buy a new train so you can fetch faster.

     And as I said in the disclaimer, i am a fan of locomotives, so when you offer me a train simulator, I want it to work, and I'll even play a bad one, if it seems well intentioned.  TrainStation 2 did not.  It felt immediately like a visual pandering of popular theme to get people to drop loads of money in microtransactions for nothing more than a battery drain.  Publisher Pixel Federation Games should get a clue, people don't enjoy an obvious rip off, and will find something better to play.

     I have to give this a 0/5 ⭐.  This game was lame, and I mean that like a wounded animal, in need of pity and possibly being put down.

     Well, that's all I've got to say on TrainStation 2, and I'll catch you all next time.  

Blitz for Prizes [Disney Emoji Blitz]

     Disney Emoji Blitz works off of a strange premise.  Play this game to earn upgrades to your phone's keyboard that add a huge number of new emojis.  All Disney, of course.  The game itself is a simple match-three drop game, so this is definitely geared to the casual-game Disney fan.  I'll be honest about it now, I do not fall into that category.  I'm a fan of Walt Disney, the animator, and I am a gamer, I'm just not the kind of person who goes nuts over everything Disney.  This game was not developed with me in mind.

     Now that if got that technical bit out of the way, here's my take on Disney Emoji Blitz:

     My first impressions on this game is that it's meant to get you right in and playing, but there is no way to stop the tutorial, so you have to play through the whole thing in one shot, which can take some time.  Mobile games aren't meant for someone who has time.  So this is something I feel needs a remedy.  Some ability in game to pause, and exit out, then restart from where you left off.  This can be achieved for the most part by cold closing from your phones open apps button, but having to use a shutdown method outside your program always feels like bad coding to me.

     The next thing I noticed when playing the game was the color.  This game uses the whole pallet of bright.  Just playing it cheered me up.  So this stands as plus.

     Past these first blushes, this game is a pretty standard connect three formula, with a timer to keep you on the edge of your seat.  Which is disappointing, but not unexpected.  This game was made to bank on a popular trend, and get a few Disney whales to drop a bunch of money into it while giving a huge number of Disney fans a collection of digital stickers to plaster around people's text conversations and market more Disney products.

     So all in all, this game lacks substance beyond a primal collecting itch, and doesnt really warrant a lot of attention.  I'd give it two out of five stars.  Here's to hoping Jam City will get a better one next time.

AFK Arena, A Beautiful Waste of Time [AFK Arena]

So, I am a gaming addict.  Not just video games, games in general, and I spend almost all of my time in some sort of escapism.  Mobile games make this even worse by allowing me to feel like I'm gaming, even when I'm not.  Case-in-point is the mobile title AFK Arena.

     AFK is a beautiful looking spectacle with cool and cute characters that seemed intentionally designed for cosplayers, and it has a decent, if forgettable, sound track.  Gameplay is where the game is really lacking, but for AFK, that's kind of the point.

     Probably more technically correct as AFS (away from screen), this game is designed from top to bottom to facilitate your laziness.  You can set the battles to auto-combat, you can skip raid battles after your first one for the day and just collect the rewards, you can mass gold and equipment just by waiting, along with player EXP.  You don't actually have to do anything.

     The largest gripe I have with this game though, after having played for almost a year, is the grind.  There is a point not long after starting where the drop rate of characters become absolutely debilitating, and progressing further in the game just stops.  If you don't pay, you just mindlessly throw yourself against the same battle over and over until you want to pull your hair out, or you get luck on a character draw.  And this is only getting worse with the addition of new characters.

     Over all this is a beautiful game, but I can't condone the underhanded money grab it becomes in-game.  It shouldn't take months tok progress a minimal amount in any video game, regardless of it revenue system.  I'd have to give this one a 2 out of 5.

FFRK Holiday Backdrop 2019

Here is 2019's Holiday Backdrop image.  I really love that every year we now get something different for the Holiday Backdrop, though I will still miss the first one.

Happy Wasteland Explorations!

So, Bethesda software has been getting a lot of crap lately for the disaster that is Fallout 76.  So I thought I could toss them a bone and highlight a great game they released a few years back that hasn't gotten the attention I think it deserves.  That game is Fallout Shelter.

Fallout Shelter is a free-to-play, resource gathering sim with some exploration and story elements thrown in for flavor.  Simple, silly, and all around easy to get into, this game probably isn't for diehard fanatics of the fancier console fare, but if you like Fallout and need something to play on your mobile device, this game is actually quite good.

And despite there being micro-transactions in it, you never really feel like it's a forced element of the game.  You can happily chug along, growing the residency of your vault without ever feeling like you need to buy something just to progress.  Which is nice.

Seeing as how it's a free mobile game, it's nice that Bethesda gives you three different save files, one of which can be cloud saved.  Other technical features I've appreciated;  easy to use menu structure, and good tutorial.  To many mobile games just toss you in and let you flounder.  It's frustrating.  This title doesn't do that.  Shelter makes sure you're on a decent footing before letting you loose in the world.

Other than that, I can't say anything really negative about Fallout: Shelter.  It's a solid free-to-play title with lots of character, and easy to comprehend gameplay.  It's nice and refreshing to play a Bethesda title that just works.

New FFRK Backdrop

Changed Nov 14, 2018 this is the latest FFRK background image:

This change in background corresponded to the launch of the Cardia Isle Record Dungeon event.  Its sort of a Thanksgiving event, with a feast dungeon, Magic Jar event, and a storyline series of dungeons.

FFRK New Backdrop

Here is the new backdrop for Final Fantasy Record Keeper.  It debuted on October 24:

Along with the background change there were also many event Halloween themed events

Going Over the Records

There is one thing that will always sell.  A good memory.  You remind somebody of a wonderful childhood experience, they will buy whatever you put in front of them.  Final Fantasy Record Keeper is a fine example of this principal.

The entire idea behind the game is good memories.  You are in a library holding the records of all the greatest tales of your world, and surprise, surprise, they are the final fantasy games! 

But something has gone wrong, and now you, a brave librarian, must enter the records and set them right.  Fear not, though, young adventurer, you are not alone in your quest.  You are joined by the spectres of the heroes from the tales you are saving.

So, this game is all the nostalgia of your favorite FF games, without all the grinding and bothersome world-walking.  Also, abilities work different then they ever have for a FF game, and you are limited to two special abilities, and the basic attack and defense.  So even your spells and specials have to be strategically planned before entering the fray.  Honestly, I've been addictive playing this game for almost two years, and it just keeps getting more good stuff.  Check it out, it's one of the best free titles on Google Play.