home.social

#newplay — Public Fediverse posts

Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #newplay, aggregated by home.social.

  1. Big News in the Works!
    I can’t share all the secrets just yet, but I just had an incredible conversation with the brilliant Rain Pryor! We discussed her autobiographical play, Pass The Matzo—a deeply moving exploration of family dynamics, racial identity, and the power of reconciliation, all centered around a Passover Seder. Given the season, the timing is perfect. Details to follow from JMGC.

    #RainPryor #PassTheMatzo #TheaterLife #NewPlay #Passover #JayMichaelsGlobal #RichardPryor

  2. ei hytte (the cabin), an a cappella musical
    Book, Music and Lyrics by Eric Matthew Richardson
    Directed by Noah Watkins

    During an unseasonable blizzard, two strangers become trapped inside one of Norway's many off-grid public cabins. Without access to electricity, phone or internet service, the hikers wait out the storm. Veronica is a true crime author, and Colin is a warehouse worker. Neither are inclined to reveal too much about their personal lives beyond that. Pressured by the forces of the unseen Valkyries, the strangers push each other to their breaking points.

    #musicals #musicaltheatre #musical #theater #theatre #chicago #acappella #playwriting #Steppenwolf #festival #newplay #writing

  3. ei hytte (the cabin), an a cappella musical
    Book, Music and Lyrics by Eric Matthew Richardson
    Directed by Noah Watkins

    During an unseasonable blizzard, two strangers become trapped inside one of Norway's many off-grid public cabins. Without access to electricity, phone or internet service, the hikers wait out the storm. Veronica is a true crime author, and Colin is a warehouse worker. Neither are inclined to reveal too much about their personal lives beyond that. Pressured by the forces of the unseen Valkyries, the strangers push each other to their breaking points.

    #musicals #musicaltheatre #musical #theater #theatre #chicago #acappella #playwriting #Steppenwolf #festival #newplay #writing

  4. ei hytte (the cabin), an a cappella musical
    Book, Music and Lyrics by Eric Matthew Richardson
    Directed by Noah Watkins

    During an unseasonable blizzard, two strangers become trapped inside one of Norway's many off-grid public cabins. Without access to electricity, phone or internet service, the hikers wait out the storm. Veronica is a true crime author, and Colin is a warehouse worker. Neither are inclined to reveal too much about their personal lives beyond that. Pressured by the forces of the unseen Valkyries, the strangers push each other to their breaking points.

    #musicals #musicaltheatre #musical #theater #theatre #chicago #acappella #playwriting #Steppenwolf #festival #newplay #writing

  5. ei hytte (the cabin), an a cappella musical
    Book, Music and Lyrics by Eric Matthew Richardson
    Directed by Noah Watkins

    During an unseasonable blizzard, two strangers become trapped inside one of Norway's many off-grid public cabins. Without access to electricity, phone or internet service, the hikers wait out the storm. Veronica is a true crime author, and Colin is a warehouse worker. Neither are inclined to reveal too much about their personal lives beyond that. Pressured by the forces of the unseen Valkyries, the strangers push each other to their breaking points.

    #musicals #musicaltheatre #musical #theater #theatre #chicago #acappella #playwriting #Steppenwolf #festival #newplay #writing

  6. ei hytte (the cabin), an a cappella musical
    Book, Music and Lyrics by Eric Matthew Richardson
    Directed by Noah Watkins

    During an unseasonable blizzard, two strangers become trapped inside one of Norway's many off-grid public cabins. Without access to electricity, phone or internet service, the hikers wait out the storm. Veronica is a true crime author, and Colin is a warehouse worker. Neither are inclined to reveal too much about their personal lives beyond that. Pressured by the forces of the unseen Valkyries, the strangers push each other to their breaking points.

    #musicals #musicaltheatre #musical #theater #theatre #chicago #acappella #playwriting #Steppenwolf #festival #newplay #writing

  7. Happy to announce that my a cappella musical "ei hytte (the cabin)” will be performed on Saturday, August 10th at 8pm as part of the Chicago Musical Theatre Festival at Steppenwolf!

    Tickets available here: steppenwolf.org/tickets--event

    #musicals #musicaltheatre #musical #theater #theatre #chicago #acappella #playwriting #Steppenwolf #festival #newplay #writing

  8. Happy to announce that my a cappella musical "ei hytte (the cabin)” will be performed on Saturday, August 10th at 8pm as part of the Chicago Musical Theatre Festival at Steppenwolf!

    Tickets available here: steppenwolf.org/tickets--event

    #musicals #musicaltheatre #musical #theater #theatre #chicago #acappella #playwriting #Steppenwolf #festival #newplay #writing

  9. Happy to announce that my a cappella musical "ei hytte (the cabin)” will be performed on Saturday, August 10th at 8pm as part of the Chicago Musical Theatre Festival at Steppenwolf!

    Tickets available here: steppenwolf.org/tickets--event

    #musicals #musicaltheatre #musical #theater #theatre #chicago #acappella #playwriting #Steppenwolf #festival #newplay #writing

  10. Happy to announce that my a cappella musical "ei hytte (the cabin)” will be performed on Saturday, August 10th at 8pm as part of the Chicago Musical Theatre Festival at Steppenwolf!

    Tickets available here: steppenwolf.org/tickets--event

    #musicals #musicaltheatre #musical #theater #theatre #chicago #acappella #playwriting #Steppenwolf #festival #newplay #writing

  11. Happy to announce that my a cappella musical "ei hytte (the cabin)” will be performed on Saturday, August 10th at 8pm as part of the Chicago Musical Theatre Festival at Steppenwolf!

    Tickets available here: steppenwolf.org/tickets--event

    #musicals #musicaltheatre #musical #theater #theatre #chicago #acappella #playwriting #Steppenwolf #festival #newplay #writing

  12. TYPE! Issue 9 just popped up
    @openbookwigtown in Scotland.

    If you can't make it that far, read a free issue here
    (Including my new microplay Epitaph):

    t.co/SAbj4PwVj9

    #Zine
    #Newplay
    #Theatre
    #Bookstores

  13. TYPE! Issue 9 just popped up
    @openbookwigtown in Scotland.

    If you can't make it that far, read a free issue here
    (Including my new microplay Epitaph):

    t.co/SAbj4PwVj9

    #Zine
    #Newplay
    #Theatre
    #Bookstores

  14. TYPE! Issue 9 just popped up
    @openbookwigtown in Scotland.

    If you can't make it that far, read a free issue here
    (Including my new microplay Epitaph):

    t.co/SAbj4PwVj9

    #Zine
    #Newplay
    #Theatre
    #Bookstores

  15. TYPE! Issue 9 just popped up
    @openbookwigtown in Scotland.

    If you can't make it that far, read a free issue here
    (Including my new microplay Epitaph):

    t.co/SAbj4PwVj9

    #Zine
    #Newplay
    #Theatre
    #Bookstores

  16. TYPE! Issue 9 just popped up
    @openbookwigtown in Scotland.

    If you can't make it that far, read a free issue here
    (Including my new microplay Epitaph):

    t.co/SAbj4PwVj9

    #Zine
    #Newplay
    #Theatre
    #Bookstores

  17. December 31, 2023 - Day 365 - NewPlay Bonus Review
    Total NewPlays: **400**

    Game: Dave The Diver

    Platform: Steam
    Release Date: Jun 28, 2023 (PC)
    Installation Date: Dec 31, 2023
    Unplayed: 0d
    Playtime: 43m

    Dave The Diver is a 2D sideways-scrolling pixel-art* game that's part management sim, part fishing sim, part restaurant game, and part action-adventure RPG.

    When Dave the Diver first showed up on Steam a few months ago, I was still very much of the "pixel-art-no-thank-you" mindset, so it was a pass.

    Then I saw some folks raving about how good it is, and then the free Dredge DLC was announced, and I went back and added it to my wishlist.

    As they're currently offering a "Dredging & Diving Bundle" on Steam which meant the game was cheaper than the sale price (by a couple of bucks), I decided to add one more game to my pile of shame, and then take it off again, and what a way to finish this project out.

    It is REALLY hard to categorise, because it pulls gameplay aspects from multiple different genres, and it's probably best if I lay it out.

    Firstly, to address that asterisk against pixel-art, the game uses pixel-art for the gameplay, but uses vector art for the UI, which is a great way to make the game feel up-to-date.

    The game opens with Dave relaxing on a beach, drinking a beer, when his phone rings, and he gets a job offer. Queue plane & map intro cut-scene.

    A guy named Cobra has offered Dave a job diving in "the Blue Hole", which is a procedurally generated environment that is different on each dive.

    After a tutorial sequence, where you learn to catch fish with a harpoon (fishing sim!), you learn that you've been roped into managing a sushi bar as well (management sim!).

    Dive twice during the day to complete quests (RPG gameplay!) and catch the fish that you then use at night to set the nightly sushi bar menu.

    Oh, and you're also the sushi bar waiter; this takes partial gameplay ideas from cooking sims like "Cook, Serve, Delicious!" in that the various customers will order the things that you've added to the menu, and the cook (thank goodness!) prepares each meal, as you run back and forth serving them, and cleaning up after some detty pigs, as well as another mini-game where you need to pour green tea and fill the cup perfectly.

    Some of the RPG gameplay elements like equipment upgrades and weapon upgrades are handled through unlockable "apps" on an in-game "smartphone", and given that there are a number of preloaded apps on the phone with locks on them, looks like there are more mini-games as well.

    Somehow, though, the devs managed to pull this off in such a way that it all fits together seamlessly, and is a lot of fun as well.

    So, there you have it; for my final game review of 2023, Dave the Diver is:

    5: Excellent

    #DaveTheDiver #2D #SidewaysScroller #FishingSim #ManagementSim #CookingSim #ActionAdventure #RPG #Gaming #Project365ONG #Project365 #NewPlay

  18. December 31, 2023 - Day 365 - NewPlay Bonus Review
    Total NewPlays: **400**

    Game: Dave The Diver

    Platform: Steam
    Release Date: Jun 28, 2023 (PC)
    Installation Date: Dec 31, 2023
    Unplayed: 0d
    Playtime: 43m

    Dave The Diver is a 2D sideways-scrolling pixel-art* game that's part management sim, part fishing sim, part restaurant game, and part action-adventure RPG.

    When Dave the Diver first showed up on Steam a few months ago, I was still very much of the "pixel-art-no-thank-you" mindset, so it was a pass.

    Then I saw some folks raving about how good it is, and then the free Dredge DLC was announced, and I went back and added it to my wishlist.

    As they're currently offering a "Dredging & Diving Bundle" on Steam which meant the game was cheaper than the sale price (by a couple of bucks), I decided to add one more game to my pile of shame, and then take it off again, and what a way to finish this project out.

    It is REALLY hard to categorise, because it pulls gameplay aspects from multiple different genres, and it's probably best if I lay it out.

    Firstly, to address that asterisk against pixel-art, the game uses pixel-art for the gameplay, but uses vector art for the UI, which is a great way to make the game feel up-to-date.

    The game opens with Dave relaxing on a beach, drinking a beer, when his phone rings, and he gets a job offer. Queue plane & map intro cut-scene.

    A guy named Cobra has offered Dave a job diving in "the Blue Hole", which is a procedurally generated environment that is different on each dive.

    After a tutorial sequence, where you learn to catch fish with a harpoon (fishing sim!), you learn that you've been roped into managing a sushi bar as well (management sim!).

    Dive twice during the day to complete quests (RPG gameplay!) and catch the fish that you then use at night to set the nightly sushi bar menu.

    Oh, and you're also the sushi bar waiter; this takes partial gameplay ideas from cooking sims like "Cook, Serve, Delicious!" in that the various customers will order the things that you've added to the menu, and the cook (thank goodness!) prepares each meal, as you run back and forth serving them, and cleaning up after some detty pigs, as well as another mini-game where you need to pour green tea and fill the cup perfectly.

    Some of the RPG gameplay elements like equipment upgrades and weapon upgrades are handled through unlockable "apps" on an in-game "smartphone", and given that there are a number of preloaded apps on the phone with locks on them, looks like there are more mini-games as well.

    Somehow, though, the devs managed to pull this off in such a way that it all fits together seamlessly, and is a lot of fun as well.

    So, there you have it; for my final game review of 2023, Dave the Diver is:

    5: Excellent

    #DaveTheDiver #2D #SidewaysScroller #FishingSim #ManagementSim #CookingSim #ActionAdventure #RPG #Gaming #Project365ONG #Project365 #NewPlay

  19. December 31, 2023 - Day 365 - NewPlay Bonus Review
    Total NewPlays: **400**

    Game: Dave The Diver

    Platform: Steam
    Release Date: Jun 28, 2023 (PC)
    Installation Date: Dec 31, 2023
    Unplayed: 0d
    Playtime: 43m

    Dave The Diver is a 2D sideways-scrolling pixel-art* game that's part management sim, part fishing sim, part restaurant game, and part action-adventure RPG.

    When Dave the Diver first showed up on Steam a few months ago, I was still very much of the "pixel-art-no-thank-you" mindset, so it was a pass.

    Then I saw some folks raving about how good it is, and then the free Dredge DLC was announced, and I went back and added it to my wishlist.

    As they're currently offering a "Dredging & Diving Bundle" on Steam which meant the game was cheaper than the sale price (by a couple of bucks), I decided to add one more game to my pile of shame, and then take it off again, and what a way to finish this project out.

    It is REALLY hard to categorise, because it pulls gameplay aspects from multiple different genres, and it's probably best if I lay it out.

    Firstly, to address that asterisk against pixel-art, the game uses pixel-art for the gameplay, but uses vector art for the UI, which is a great way to make the game feel up-to-date.

    The game opens with Dave relaxing on a beach, drinking a beer, when his phone rings, and he gets a job offer. Queue plane & map intro cut-scene.

    A guy named Cobra has offered Dave a job diving in "the Blue Hole", which is a procedurally generated environment that is different on each dive.

    After a tutorial sequence, where you learn to catch fish with a harpoon (fishing sim!), you learn that you've been roped into managing a sushi bar as well (management sim!).

    Dive twice during the day to complete quests (RPG gameplay!) and catch the fish that you then use at night to set the nightly sushi bar menu.

    Oh, and you're also the sushi bar waiter; this takes partial gameplay ideas from cooking sims like "Cook, Serve, Delicious!" in that the various customers will order the things that you've added to the menu, and the cook (thank goodness!) prepares each meal, as you run back and forth serving them, and cleaning up after some detty pigs, as well as another mini-game where you need to pour green tea and fill the cup perfectly.

    Some of the RPG gameplay elements like equipment upgrades and weapon upgrades are handled through unlockable "apps" on an in-game "smartphone", and given that there are a number of preloaded apps on the phone with locks on them, looks like there are more mini-games as well.

    Somehow, though, the devs managed to pull this off in such a way that it all fits together seamlessly, and is a lot of fun as well.

    So, there you have it; for my final game review of 2023, Dave the Diver is:

    5: Excellent

    #DaveTheDiver #2D #SidewaysScroller #FishingSim #ManagementSim #CookingSim #ActionAdventure #RPG #Gaming #Project365ONG #Project365 #NewPlay

  20. December 31, 2023 - Day 365 - NewPlay Bonus Review
    Total NewPlays: **400**

    Game: Dave The Diver

    Platform: Steam
    Release Date: Jun 28, 2023 (PC)
    Installation Date: Dec 31, 2023
    Unplayed: 0d
    Playtime: 43m

    Dave The Diver is a 2D sideways-scrolling pixel-art* game that's part management sim, part fishing sim, part restaurant game, and part action-adventure RPG.

    When Dave the Diver first showed up on Steam a few months ago, I was still very much of the "pixel-art-no-thank-you" mindset, so it was a pass.

    Then I saw some folks raving about how good it is, and then the free Dredge DLC was announced, and I went back and added it to my wishlist.

    As they're currently offering a "Dredging & Diving Bundle" on Steam which meant the game was cheaper than the sale price (by a couple of bucks), I decided to add one more game to my pile of shame, and then take it off again, and what a way to finish this project out.

    It is REALLY hard to categorise, because it pulls gameplay aspects from multiple different genres, and it's probably best if I lay it out.

    Firstly, to address that asterisk against pixel-art, the game uses pixel-art for the gameplay, but uses vector art for the UI, which is a great way to make the game feel up-to-date.

    The game opens with Dave relaxing on a beach, drinking a beer, when his phone rings, and he gets a job offer. Queue plane & map intro cut-scene.

    A guy named Cobra has offered Dave a job diving in "the Blue Hole", which is a procedurally generated environment that is different on each dive.

    After a tutorial sequence, where you learn to catch fish with a harpoon (fishing sim!), you learn that you've been roped into managing a sushi bar as well (management sim!).

    Dive twice during the day to complete quests (RPG gameplay!) and catch the fish that you then use at night to set the nightly sushi bar menu.

    Oh, and you're also the sushi bar waiter; this takes partial gameplay ideas from cooking sims like "Cook, Serve, Delicious!" in that the various customers will order the things that you've added to the menu, and the cook (thank goodness!) prepares each meal, as you run back and forth serving them, and cleaning up after some detty pigs, as well as another mini-game where you need to pour green tea and fill the cup perfectly.

    Some of the RPG gameplay elements like equipment upgrades and weapon upgrades are handled through unlockable "apps" on an in-game "smartphone", and given that there are a number of preloaded apps on the phone with locks on them, looks like there are more mini-games as well.

    Somehow, though, the devs managed to pull this off in such a way that it all fits together seamlessly, and is a lot of fun as well.

    So, there you have it; for my final game review of 2023, Dave the Diver is:

    5: Excellent

    #DaveTheDiver #2D #SidewaysScroller #FishingSim #ManagementSim #CookingSim #ActionAdventure #RPG #Gaming #Project365ONG #Project365 #NewPlay

  21. December 31, 2023 - Day 365 - NewPlay Bonus Review
    Total NewPlays: **400**

    Game: Dave The Diver

    Platform: Steam
    Release Date: Jun 28, 2023 (PC)
    Installation Date: Dec 31, 2023
    Unplayed: 0d
    Playtime: 43m

    Dave The Diver is a 2D sideways-scrolling pixel-art* game that's part management sim, part fishing sim, part restaurant game, and part action-adventure RPG.

    When Dave the Diver first showed up on Steam a few months ago, I was still very much of the "pixel-art-no-thank-you" mindset, so it was a pass.

    Then I saw some folks raving about how good it is, and then the free Dredge DLC was announced, and I went back and added it to my wishlist.

    As they're currently offering a "Dredging & Diving Bundle" on Steam which meant the game was cheaper than the sale price (by a couple of bucks), I decided to add one more game to my pile of shame, and then take it off again, and what a way to finish this project out.

    It is REALLY hard to categorise, because it pulls gameplay aspects from multiple different genres, and it's probably best if I lay it out.

    Firstly, to address that asterisk against pixel-art, the game uses pixel-art for the gameplay, but uses vector art for the UI, which is a great way to make the game feel up-to-date.

    The game opens with Dave relaxing on a beach, drinking a beer, when his phone rings, and he gets a job offer. Queue plane & map intro cut-scene.

    A guy named Cobra has offered Dave a job diving in "the Blue Hole", which is a procedurally generated environment that is different on each dive.

    After a tutorial sequence, where you learn to catch fish with a harpoon (fishing sim!), you learn that you've been roped into managing a sushi bar as well (management sim!).

    Dive twice during the day to complete quests (RPG gameplay!) and catch the fish that you then use at night to set the nightly sushi bar menu.

    Oh, and you're also the sushi bar waiter; this takes partial gameplay ideas from cooking sims like "Cook, Serve, Delicious!" in that the various customers will order the things that you've added to the menu, and the cook (thank goodness!) prepares each meal, as you run back and forth serving them, and cleaning up after some detty pigs, as well as another mini-game where you need to pour green tea and fill the cup perfectly.

    Some of the RPG gameplay elements like equipment upgrades and weapon upgrades are handled through unlockable "apps" on an in-game "smartphone", and given that there are a number of preloaded apps on the phone with locks on them, looks like there are more mini-games as well.

    Somehow, though, the devs managed to pull this off in such a way that it all fits together seamlessly, and is a lot of fun as well.

    So, there you have it; for my final game review of 2023, Dave the Diver is:

    5: Excellent

    #DaveTheDiver #2D #SidewaysScroller #FishingSim #ManagementSim #CookingSim #ActionAdventure #RPG #Gaming #Project365ONG #Project365 #NewPlay

  22. December 31, 2023 - Day 365 - NewPlay Bonus Review
    Total NewPlays: 399

    Game: Saints Row

    Platform: Steam
    Release Date: Aug 23, 2022 (PC)
    Installation Date: Dec 31, 2023
    Unplayed: 0d
    Playtime: 59m

    Saints Row (2022) was a poorly received reboot of the Saints Row franchise. It's a third-person action-adventure RPG, that is, this time around, based around the founding of a criminal gang named "The Saints".

    You play as "The Boss", and can choose from a set of pre-made characters, or build your own from scratch, so I lost track of how long I spent in the character creator.

    In this case, I didn't go into the game completely unawares; I've played some of Saints Row IV, which was cartoonishly over the top.

    I remember reading reviews of Saints Row saying that they wanted it to be more grounded, and to paraphrase Inigo Montoya, "...that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

    Maybe it's not quite as OTT as the last game, but grounded is not a word I'd use either.

    I'm a little surprised at this point that the reviews were so awful, as it definitely feels a lot like the previous Saints Row games to me.

    I'll probably slot in some further Saints mayhem between RPG sessions in the new year.

    So far, Saints Row seems:

    4: Good

    #SaintsRow #ThirdPerson #ActionAdventure #RPG #Gaming #Project365ONG #Project365 #NewPlay

  23. December 31, 2023 - Day 365 - NewPlay Bonus Review
    Total NewPlays: 399

    Game: Saints Row

    Platform: Steam
    Release Date: Aug 23, 2022 (PC)
    Installation Date: Dec 31, 2023
    Unplayed: 0d
    Playtime: 59m

    Saints Row (2022) was a poorly received reboot of the Saints Row franchise. It's a third-person action-adventure RPG, that is, this time around, based around the founding of a criminal gang named "The Saints".

    You play as "The Boss", and can choose from a set of pre-made characters, or build your own from scratch, so I lost track of how long I spent in the character creator.

    In this case, I didn't go into the game completely unawares; I've played some of Saints Row IV, which was cartoonishly over the top.

    I remember reading reviews of Saints Row saying that they wanted it to be more grounded, and to paraphrase Inigo Montoya, "...that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

    Maybe it's not quite as OTT as the last game, but grounded is not a word I'd use either.

    I'm a little surprised at this point that the reviews were so awful, as it definitely feels a lot like the previous Saints Row games to me.

    I'll probably slot in some further Saints mayhem between RPG sessions in the new year.

    So far, Saints Row seems:

    4: Good

    #SaintsRow #ThirdPerson #ActionAdventure #RPG #Gaming #Project365ONG #Project365 #NewPlay

  24. December 31, 2023 - Day 365 - NewPlay Bonus Review
    Total NewPlays: 399

    Game: Saints Row

    Platform: Steam
    Release Date: Aug 23, 2022 (PC)
    Installation Date: Dec 31, 2023
    Unplayed: 0d
    Playtime: 59m

    Saints Row (2022) was a poorly received reboot of the Saints Row franchise. It's a third-person action-adventure RPG, that is, this time around, based around the founding of a criminal gang named "The Saints".

    You play as "The Boss", and can choose from a set of pre-made characters, or build your own from scratch, so I lost track of how long I spent in the character creator.

    In this case, I didn't go into the game completely unawares; I've played some of Saints Row IV, which was cartoonishly over the top.

    I remember reading reviews of Saints Row saying that they wanted it to be more grounded, and to paraphrase Inigo Montoya, "...that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

    Maybe it's not quite as OTT as the last game, but grounded is not a word I'd use either.

    I'm a little surprised at this point that the reviews were so awful, as it definitely feels a lot like the previous Saints Row games to me.

    I'll probably slot in some further Saints mayhem between RPG sessions in the new year.

    So far, Saints Row seems:

    4: Good

    #SaintsRow #ThirdPerson #ActionAdventure #RPG #Gaming #Project365ONG #Project365 #NewPlay

  25. December 31, 2023 - Day 365 - NewPlay Bonus Review
    Total NewPlays: 399

    Game: Saints Row

    Platform: Steam
    Release Date: Aug 23, 2022 (PC)
    Installation Date: Dec 31, 2023
    Unplayed: 0d
    Playtime: 59m

    Saints Row (2022) was a poorly received reboot of the Saints Row franchise. It's a third-person action-adventure RPG, that is, this time around, based around the founding of a criminal gang named "The Saints".

    You play as "The Boss", and can choose from a set of pre-made characters, or build your own from scratch, so I lost track of how long I spent in the character creator.

    In this case, I didn't go into the game completely unawares; I've played some of Saints Row IV, which was cartoonishly over the top.

    I remember reading reviews of Saints Row saying that they wanted it to be more grounded, and to paraphrase Inigo Montoya, "...that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

    Maybe it's not quite as OTT as the last game, but grounded is not a word I'd use either.

    I'm a little surprised at this point that the reviews were so awful, as it definitely feels a lot like the previous Saints Row games to me.

    I'll probably slot in some further Saints mayhem between RPG sessions in the new year.

    So far, Saints Row seems:

    4: Good

    #SaintsRow #ThirdPerson #ActionAdventure #RPG #Gaming #Project365ONG #Project365 #NewPlay

  26. December 31, 2023 - Day 365 - NewPlay Bonus Review
    Total NewPlays: 399

    Game: Saints Row

    Platform: Steam
    Release Date: Aug 23, 2022 (PC)
    Installation Date: Dec 31, 2023
    Unplayed: 0d
    Playtime: 59m

    Saints Row (2022) was a poorly received reboot of the Saints Row franchise. It's a third-person action-adventure RPG, that is, this time around, based around the founding of a criminal gang named "The Saints".

    You play as "The Boss", and can choose from a set of pre-made characters, or build your own from scratch, so I lost track of how long I spent in the character creator.

    In this case, I didn't go into the game completely unawares; I've played some of Saints Row IV, which was cartoonishly over the top.

    I remember reading reviews of Saints Row saying that they wanted it to be more grounded, and to paraphrase Inigo Montoya, "...that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

    Maybe it's not quite as OTT as the last game, but grounded is not a word I'd use either.

    I'm a little surprised at this point that the reviews were so awful, as it definitely feels a lot like the previous Saints Row games to me.

    I'll probably slot in some further Saints mayhem between RPG sessions in the new year.

    So far, Saints Row seems:

    4: Good

    #SaintsRow #ThirdPerson #ActionAdventure #RPG #Gaming #Project365ONG #Project365 #NewPlay

  27. December 31, 2023 - Day 365 - NewPlay Review
    Total NewPlays: 398

    Game: Beyond: Two Souls

    Platform: Steam
    Release Date: Jun 18, 2020 (PC)
    Installation Date: Dec 19, 2022
    Unplayed: 377d (1y12d)
    Playtime: 24m

    Beyond: Two Souls is a third-person... interactive movie?

    I picked a doozy for my final primary NewPlay. The game starts by presenting the option to play in the "original" non-chronological order, or the "remix" chronological order.

    I picked "original", and then found myself in a cutscene with a mo-capped pre-transition Elliot page, and then an unexpected Willem Dafoe, setting up an interesting premise.

    Whoever Jodie is, she's dangerous.

    After the cutscene, I found myself playing as child Jodie. This was where I ran into my first issue with the game. I'd picked mouse & keyboard to play with, but given that this was originally a console release, it really isn't designed for mouse & keyboard, and the controls just felt weird.

    Switched to controller, and things started to make more sense.

    The hard part of trying to provide more of a review is this: explaining what happens next goes into spoiler territory, and so... I won't.

    Because the game relies on mocap, and was originally released in 2013, prior to Elliot Page coming out as a trans man, I found playing as adult Jodie in the next section somewhat disconcerting, and in a way that I really can't quite put into words. Not enough to make me not want to play, but enough to break immersion.

    This is not a critique of the game, rather an acknowledgement of how events in the real world can affect my perception of a game.

    I really enjoyed (and completed!) one of Quantic Dream's other games, Detroit: Become Human, which is what lead to me buying this and Heavy Rain in a bundle last year.

    Based on past experience, I'm interested in continuing this playthrough of Beyond: Two Souls; so far, it's:

    3: OK

    #BeyondTwoSouls #ThirdPerson #InteractiveMovie #Gaming #Project365ONG #Project365 #NewPlay

  28. December 31, 2023 - Day 365 - NewPlay Review
    Total NewPlays: 398

    Game: Beyond: Two Souls

    Platform: Steam
    Release Date: Jun 18, 2020 (PC)
    Installation Date: Dec 19, 2022
    Unplayed: 377d (1y12d)
    Playtime: 24m

    Beyond: Two Souls is a third-person... interactive movie?

    I picked a doozy for my final primary NewPlay. The game starts by presenting the option to play in the "original" non-chronological order, or the "remix" chronological order.

    I picked "original", and then found myself in a cutscene with a mo-capped pre-transition Elliot page, and then an unexpected Willem Dafoe, setting up an interesting premise.

    Whoever Jodie is, she's dangerous.

    After the cutscene, I found myself playing as child Jodie. This was where I ran into my first issue with the game. I'd picked mouse & keyboard to play with, but given that this was originally a console release, it really isn't designed for mouse & keyboard, and the controls just felt weird.

    Switched to controller, and things started to make more sense.

    The hard part of trying to provide more of a review is this: explaining what happens next goes into spoiler territory, and so... I won't.

    Because the game relies on mocap, and was originally released in 2013, prior to Elliot Page coming out as a trans man, I found playing as adult Jodie in the next section somewhat disconcerting, and in a way that I really can't quite put into words. Not enough to make me not want to play, but enough to break immersion.

    This is not a critique of the game, rather an acknowledgement of how events in the real world can affect my perception of a game.

    I really enjoyed (and completed!) one of Quantic Dream's other games, Detroit: Become Human, which is what lead to me buying this and Heavy Rain in a bundle last year.

    Based on past experience, I'm interested in continuing this playthrough of Beyond: Two Souls; so far, it's:

    3: OK

    #BeyondTwoSouls #ThirdPerson #InteractiveMovie #Gaming #Project365ONG #Project365 #NewPlay

  29. December 31, 2023 - Day 365 - NewPlay Review
    Total NewPlays: 398

    Game: Beyond: Two Souls

    Platform: Steam
    Release Date: Jun 18, 2020 (PC)
    Installation Date: Dec 19, 2022
    Unplayed: 377d (1y12d)
    Playtime: 24m

    Beyond: Two Souls is a third-person... interactive movie?

    I picked a doozy for my final primary NewPlay. The game starts by presenting the option to play in the "original" non-chronological order, or the "remix" chronological order.

    I picked "original", and then found myself in a cutscene with a mo-capped pre-transition Elliot page, and then an unexpected Willem Dafoe, setting up an interesting premise.

    Whoever Jodie is, she's dangerous.

    After the cutscene, I found myself playing as child Jodie. This was where I ran into my first issue with the game. I'd picked mouse & keyboard to play with, but given that this was originally a console release, it really isn't designed for mouse & keyboard, and the controls just felt weird.

    Switched to controller, and things started to make more sense.

    The hard part of trying to provide more of a review is this: explaining what happens next goes into spoiler territory, and so... I won't.

    Because the game relies on mocap, and was originally released in 2013, prior to Elliot Page coming out as a trans man, I found playing as adult Jodie in the next section somewhat disconcerting, and in a way that I really can't quite put into words. Not enough to make me not want to play, but enough to break immersion.

    This is not a critique of the game, rather an acknowledgement of how events in the real world can affect my perception of a game.

    I really enjoyed (and completed!) one of Quantic Dream's other games, Detroit: Become Human, which is what lead to me buying this and Heavy Rain in a bundle last year.

    Based on past experience, I'm interested in continuing this playthrough of Beyond: Two Souls; so far, it's:

    3: OK

    #BeyondTwoSouls #ThirdPerson #InteractiveMovie #Gaming #Project365ONG #Project365 #NewPlay

  30. December 31, 2023 - Day 365 - NewPlay Review
    Total NewPlays: 398

    Game: Beyond: Two Souls

    Platform: Steam
    Release Date: Jun 18, 2020 (PC)
    Installation Date: Dec 19, 2022
    Unplayed: 377d (1y12d)
    Playtime: 24m

    Beyond: Two Souls is a third-person... interactive movie?

    I picked a doozy for my final primary NewPlay. The game starts by presenting the option to play in the "original" non-chronological order, or the "remix" chronological order.

    I picked "original", and then found myself in a cutscene with a mo-capped pre-transition Elliot page, and then an unexpected Willem Dafoe, setting up an interesting premise.

    Whoever Jodie is, she's dangerous.

    After the cutscene, I found myself playing as child Jodie. This was where I ran into my first issue with the game. I'd picked mouse & keyboard to play with, but given that this was originally a console release, it really isn't designed for mouse & keyboard, and the controls just felt weird.

    Switched to controller, and things started to make more sense.

    The hard part of trying to provide more of a review is this: explaining what happens next goes into spoiler territory, and so... I won't.

    Because the game relies on mocap, and was originally released in 2013, prior to Elliot Page coming out as a trans man, I found playing as adult Jodie in the next section somewhat disconcerting, and in a way that I really can't quite put into words. Not enough to make me not want to play, but enough to break immersion.

    This is not a critique of the game, rather an acknowledgement of how events in the real world can affect my perception of a game.

    I really enjoyed (and completed!) one of Quantic Dream's other games, Detroit: Become Human, which is what lead to me buying this and Heavy Rain in a bundle last year.

    Based on past experience, I'm interested in continuing this playthrough of Beyond: Two Souls; so far, it's:

    3: OK

    #BeyondTwoSouls #ThirdPerson #InteractiveMovie #Gaming #Project365ONG #Project365 #NewPlay

  31. December 31, 2023 - Day 365 - NewPlay Review
    Total NewPlays: 398

    Game: Beyond: Two Souls

    Platform: Steam
    Release Date: Jun 18, 2020 (PC)
    Installation Date: Dec 19, 2022
    Unplayed: 377d (1y12d)
    Playtime: 24m

    Beyond: Two Souls is a third-person... interactive movie?

    I picked a doozy for my final primary NewPlay. The game starts by presenting the option to play in the "original" non-chronological order, or the "remix" chronological order.

    I picked "original", and then found myself in a cutscene with a mo-capped pre-transition Elliot page, and then an unexpected Willem Dafoe, setting up an interesting premise.

    Whoever Jodie is, she's dangerous.

    After the cutscene, I found myself playing as child Jodie. This was where I ran into my first issue with the game. I'd picked mouse & keyboard to play with, but given that this was originally a console release, it really isn't designed for mouse & keyboard, and the controls just felt weird.

    Switched to controller, and things started to make more sense.

    The hard part of trying to provide more of a review is this: explaining what happens next goes into spoiler territory, and so... I won't.

    Because the game relies on mocap, and was originally released in 2013, prior to Elliot Page coming out as a trans man, I found playing as adult Jodie in the next section somewhat disconcerting, and in a way that I really can't quite put into words. Not enough to make me not want to play, but enough to break immersion.

    This is not a critique of the game, rather an acknowledgement of how events in the real world can affect my perception of a game.

    I really enjoyed (and completed!) one of Quantic Dream's other games, Detroit: Become Human, which is what lead to me buying this and Heavy Rain in a bundle last year.

    Based on past experience, I'm interested in continuing this playthrough of Beyond: Two Souls; so far, it's:

    3: OK

    #BeyondTwoSouls #ThirdPerson #InteractiveMovie #Gaming #Project365ONG #Project365 #NewPlay

  32. December 30, 2023 - Day 364 - NewPlay Bonus Review
    Total NewPlays: 397

    Game: MOTHERGUNSHIP

    Platform: Steam
    Release Date: Jul 17, 2018
    Installation Date: Sep 7, 2019
    Unplayed: 1576d (4y3m24d)
    Playtime: 16m

    MOTHERGUNSHIP is a bullet-hell FPS built in the Unreal Engine.

    I immediately ran into problems when I tried to run it, because it did not want to play well with multiple monitors, insisting on running on the left-most monitor (which isn't my main). No options in-game to choose which monitor to run on.

    Putting it into a lower resolution and windowed mode somehow made things worse, because it pushed the window chrome AND the back button off the top and bottom of the screen, respectively.

    Eventually I got it running on the main monitor, and away we went. You're a nameless pleb dropped into combat on a spaceship, receiving instructions from an army General, and a tech, delivered by VO and a text-box in the middle of the screen.

    You're wearing some kind of exo-suit, and you can see your robotic hands at the bottom of the screen, and you're sent off to start punching sci-fi cartoonish turrets.

    When you die (oh, and you will die), you're immediately resurrected to keep fighting, with the "General" lampshading this.

    A few rooms in, and you can start buying gun parts with the coins you collect, and then you can build and rebuild your weapons, into whatever wild assemblies you can imagine.

    I was pretty tired last night, and it's only just occurred to me that the reason I couldn't buy parts in one of the shops was that I didn't have enough coins. There was just an error box icon that would appear when I tried to pick up gun parts, which I thought meant I'd run out of room or something. It didn't make it clear *why* I was getting that icon.

    Which highlights one of the issues with the game. The ship(s) are bright and colourful with a lot going on, and the UI just kind of tends to blend in with everything else on screen.

    I don't usually highlight the engine that the game is built in, but sometimes games have a certain "feel" to them that immediately registers as the game engine, and when I checked, I wasn't surprised to find it was an Unreal based game (no Unreal splash at the start, though!).

    If bullet-hell shooters are your thing, this might be worth picking up on special, but I probably won't be back; they're not my thing, so for me MOTHERGUNSHIP is just a bit:

    2: Meh

    #MOTHERGUNSHIP #FPS #BulletHell #Gaming #Project365ONG #Project365 #NewPlay

  33. December 30, 2023 - Day 364 - NewPlay Bonus Review
    Total NewPlays: 397

    Game: MOTHERGUNSHIP

    Platform: Steam
    Release Date: Jul 17, 2018
    Installation Date: Sep 7, 2019
    Unplayed: 1576d (4y3m24d)
    Playtime: 16m

    MOTHERGUNSHIP is a bullet-hell FPS built in the Unreal Engine.

    I immediately ran into problems when I tried to run it, because it did not want to play well with multiple monitors, insisting on running on the left-most monitor (which isn't my main). No options in-game to choose which monitor to run on.

    Putting it into a lower resolution and windowed mode somehow made things worse, because it pushed the window chrome AND the back button off the top and bottom of the screen, respectively.

    Eventually I got it running on the main monitor, and away we went. You're a nameless pleb dropped into combat on a spaceship, receiving instructions from an army General, and a tech, delivered by VO and a text-box in the middle of the screen.

    You're wearing some kind of exo-suit, and you can see your robotic hands at the bottom of the screen, and you're sent off to start punching sci-fi cartoonish turrets.

    When you die (oh, and you will die), you're immediately resurrected to keep fighting, with the "General" lampshading this.

    A few rooms in, and you can start buying gun parts with the coins you collect, and then you can build and rebuild your weapons, into whatever wild assemblies you can imagine.

    I was pretty tired last night, and it's only just occurred to me that the reason I couldn't buy parts in one of the shops was that I didn't have enough coins. There was just an error box icon that would appear when I tried to pick up gun parts, which I thought meant I'd run out of room or something. It didn't make it clear *why* I was getting that icon.

    Which highlights one of the issues with the game. The ship(s) are bright and colourful with a lot going on, and the UI just kind of tends to blend in with everything else on screen.

    I don't usually highlight the engine that the game is built in, but sometimes games have a certain "feel" to them that immediately registers as the game engine, and when I checked, I wasn't surprised to find it was an Unreal based game (no Unreal splash at the start, though!).

    If bullet-hell shooters are your thing, this might be worth picking up on special, but I probably won't be back; they're not my thing, so for me MOTHERGUNSHIP is just a bit:

    2: Meh

    #MOTHERGUNSHIP #FPS #BulletHell #Gaming #Project365ONG #Project365 #NewPlay

  34. December 30, 2023 - Day 364 - NewPlay Bonus Review
    Total NewPlays: 397

    Game: MOTHERGUNSHIP

    Platform: Steam
    Release Date: Jul 17, 2018
    Installation Date: Sep 7, 2019
    Unplayed: 1576d (4y3m24d)
    Playtime: 16m

    MOTHERGUNSHIP is a bullet-hell FPS built in the Unreal Engine.

    I immediately ran into problems when I tried to run it, because it did not want to play well with multiple monitors, insisting on running on the left-most monitor (which isn't my main). No options in-game to choose which monitor to run on.

    Putting it into a lower resolution and windowed mode somehow made things worse, because it pushed the window chrome AND the back button off the top and bottom of the screen, respectively.

    Eventually I got it running on the main monitor, and away we went. You're a nameless pleb dropped into combat on a spaceship, receiving instructions from an army General, and a tech, delivered by VO and a text-box in the middle of the screen.

    You're wearing some kind of exo-suit, and you can see your robotic hands at the bottom of the screen, and you're sent off to start punching sci-fi cartoonish turrets.

    When you die (oh, and you will die), you're immediately resurrected to keep fighting, with the "General" lampshading this.

    A few rooms in, and you can start buying gun parts with the coins you collect, and then you can build and rebuild your weapons, into whatever wild assemblies you can imagine.

    I was pretty tired last night, and it's only just occurred to me that the reason I couldn't buy parts in one of the shops was that I didn't have enough coins. There was just an error box icon that would appear when I tried to pick up gun parts, which I thought meant I'd run out of room or something. It didn't make it clear *why* I was getting that icon.

    Which highlights one of the issues with the game. The ship(s) are bright and colourful with a lot going on, and the UI just kind of tends to blend in with everything else on screen.

    I don't usually highlight the engine that the game is built in, but sometimes games have a certain "feel" to them that immediately registers as the game engine, and when I checked, I wasn't surprised to find it was an Unreal based game (no Unreal splash at the start, though!).

    If bullet-hell shooters are your thing, this might be worth picking up on special, but I probably won't be back; they're not my thing, so for me MOTHERGUNSHIP is just a bit:

    2: Meh

    #MOTHERGUNSHIP #FPS #BulletHell #Gaming #Project365ONG #Project365 #NewPlay

  35. December 30, 2023 - Day 364 - NewPlay Bonus Review
    Total NewPlays: 397

    Game: MOTHERGUNSHIP

    Platform: Steam
    Release Date: Jul 17, 2018
    Installation Date: Sep 7, 2019
    Unplayed: 1576d (4y3m24d)
    Playtime: 16m

    MOTHERGUNSHIP is a bullet-hell FPS built in the Unreal Engine.

    I immediately ran into problems when I tried to run it, because it did not want to play well with multiple monitors, insisting on running on the left-most monitor (which isn't my main). No options in-game to choose which monitor to run on.

    Putting it into a lower resolution and windowed mode somehow made things worse, because it pushed the window chrome AND the back button off the top and bottom of the screen, respectively.

    Eventually I got it running on the main monitor, and away we went. You're a nameless pleb dropped into combat on a spaceship, receiving instructions from an army General, and a tech, delivered by VO and a text-box in the middle of the screen.

    You're wearing some kind of exo-suit, and you can see your robotic hands at the bottom of the screen, and you're sent off to start punching sci-fi cartoonish turrets.

    When you die (oh, and you will die), you're immediately resurrected to keep fighting, with the "General" lampshading this.

    A few rooms in, and you can start buying gun parts with the coins you collect, and then you can build and rebuild your weapons, into whatever wild assemblies you can imagine.

    I was pretty tired last night, and it's only just occurred to me that the reason I couldn't buy parts in one of the shops was that I didn't have enough coins. There was just an error box icon that would appear when I tried to pick up gun parts, which I thought meant I'd run out of room or something. It didn't make it clear *why* I was getting that icon.

    Which highlights one of the issues with the game. The ship(s) are bright and colourful with a lot going on, and the UI just kind of tends to blend in with everything else on screen.

    I don't usually highlight the engine that the game is built in, but sometimes games have a certain "feel" to them that immediately registers as the game engine, and when I checked, I wasn't surprised to find it was an Unreal based game (no Unreal splash at the start, though!).

    If bullet-hell shooters are your thing, this might be worth picking up on special, but I probably won't be back; they're not my thing, so for me MOTHERGUNSHIP is just a bit:

    2: Meh

    #MOTHERGUNSHIP #FPS #BulletHell #Gaming #Project365ONG #Project365 #NewPlay

  36. December 30, 2023 - Day 364 - NewPlay Bonus Review
    Total NewPlays: 397

    Game: MOTHERGUNSHIP

    Platform: Steam
    Release Date: Jul 17, 2018
    Installation Date: Sep 7, 2019
    Unplayed: 1576d (4y3m24d)
    Playtime: 16m

    MOTHERGUNSHIP is a bullet-hell FPS built in the Unreal Engine.

    I immediately ran into problems when I tried to run it, because it did not want to play well with multiple monitors, insisting on running on the left-most monitor (which isn't my main). No options in-game to choose which monitor to run on.

    Putting it into a lower resolution and windowed mode somehow made things worse, because it pushed the window chrome AND the back button off the top and bottom of the screen, respectively.

    Eventually I got it running on the main monitor, and away we went. You're a nameless pleb dropped into combat on a spaceship, receiving instructions from an army General, and a tech, delivered by VO and a text-box in the middle of the screen.

    You're wearing some kind of exo-suit, and you can see your robotic hands at the bottom of the screen, and you're sent off to start punching sci-fi cartoonish turrets.

    When you die (oh, and you will die), you're immediately resurrected to keep fighting, with the "General" lampshading this.

    A few rooms in, and you can start buying gun parts with the coins you collect, and then you can build and rebuild your weapons, into whatever wild assemblies you can imagine.

    I was pretty tired last night, and it's only just occurred to me that the reason I couldn't buy parts in one of the shops was that I didn't have enough coins. There was just an error box icon that would appear when I tried to pick up gun parts, which I thought meant I'd run out of room or something. It didn't make it clear *why* I was getting that icon.

    Which highlights one of the issues with the game. The ship(s) are bright and colourful with a lot going on, and the UI just kind of tends to blend in with everything else on screen.

    I don't usually highlight the engine that the game is built in, but sometimes games have a certain "feel" to them that immediately registers as the game engine, and when I checked, I wasn't surprised to find it was an Unreal based game (no Unreal splash at the start, though!).

    If bullet-hell shooters are your thing, this might be worth picking up on special, but I probably won't be back; they're not my thing, so for me MOTHERGUNSHIP is just a bit:

    2: Meh

    #MOTHERGUNSHIP #FPS #BulletHell #Gaming #Project365ONG #Project365 #NewPlay