It’s not often that I purchase a computer game spontaneously, certainly not one that I’ve never heard of. But on Friday I did just that.
On Friday I bought Firewatch on Steam.
It was the artwork that first grabbed me, stylised and beautiful. Then I watched the trailer…
Who is the guy in the other tower?! Who are the girls who’ve gone missing?
And that was me hooked!
I finished the game on Sunday evening. But this week I’m going in again…
I was a big fan of the first two Star Wars Battlefront games and was disappointed when development of Battlefront 3 got cancelled for financial reasons in, I think, 2008.
But look! It’s back and it’s coming out this year (Friday 20 November)… and it looks epic! The graphics alone look astonishing.
Find out more on the official Battlefront website.
I’m not a particularly keen, or good, gamer. My PC games are mostly limited to a few Call of Duty titles (for the interactive, cinematic experience), a few variations of the Chinese game mahjong, chess, the magnificent Dear Esther (which has unfairly been described as ‘a walking simulator’), and quite a few LEGO games.
A couple of weeks ago I downloaded Valiant Hearts via Steam; it was on special offer. I finished it last week—it was brilliant!
Valiant Hearts is set during world war one, which ties it in nicely with the centenary of its outbreak.
It follows the journeys of four ordinary people’s experiences of war.
Besides the playable characters there is also a dog, Walt, who can be used to solve puzzles. You can also stroke him, and tickle his tummy, which is a really sweet addition.
I found the game entirely gripping. From the artwork, to the music and sound effects, to the puzzles, to the characters, to the historical detail. While the characters and story line is fictional, it is based on historical fact which makes it all the more moving.
I love that one of the main characters (Anna) is a woman, and a strong woman at that. She is brave and compassionate.
I had read quite a few reviews before I played the game where people confessed that they cried at the end of the game. As the final level was loading I considered this. I had been moved by the stories, I had identified with the characters, but I didn’t feel this was enough to make me cry.
I was wrong. As the final level progressed, I cried.
If you’re looking for a great adventure-style, puzzle game, then I can thoroughly recommend Valiant Hearts. It gets a 10/10 from me.
One of my favourite things today was walking Isaac to playgroup.
We played “I spy” on the way; the colour edition.
Isaac: I spy with my little eye something the colour… red!
Me: Is it that red car in front of us?
Isaac: YES!
If you ever get to play “I spy (colour edition)” with Isaac, it’s usually a car. Or a lorry. Or a van. Or… you get the idea.
My annual review of what I’ve most enjoyed listening to during the last 12 months, and my albums of the year.