2018

Frostpunk

I bought this game on the day it came out, but in full disclosure I ended up returning it that same day for a refund from steam. It wasn’t that the game was too difficult (one of the complaints I saw frequently) but that everything was so scripted.

Initially Frostpunk reminded me of RimWorld, where you’re on an isolated planet and you need to keep a group of people alive and perhaps rescue others you find along the way. Survival is key. You need to find food, shelter, and all the other necessities of life. There are also some creative aspects to this game that I really enjoyed a lot, including the law system. You have to make some pretty difficult choices like whether to employ children or how healthcare is going to work.

Unfortunately none of those aspects were enough to get me to keep playing after the second mission. It just felt incredibly scripted, and once I figured out what it was that I needed in order to sustain the initial survival of my people, I just kept playing the exact same way.

I think games like RimWorld have spoiled me, where there are so many mods you can basically play any way you want and every time you play there is a completely different outcome. Just because the game wasn’t for me doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t give it a look though, it might surprise you.

Plus it really is a pretty game. The atmospheric music and initial story really captured me, even if it wasn’t sustained.

Happy gaming, no matter where you find yourself!

Two Point Hospital

I’ve been waiting for this game to release for most of the year – and today was the day. It’s finally out. A $40 CAD price tag means it’s not the cheapest of games, but I was such a fan of Theme Hospital (which this game is of course crafted after) that I knew it would be a day one purchase. Thankfully there were some discounts floating around, so I still at least didn’t have to pay full price.

If you’ve ever played Theme Hospital before you’ll be very familiar with this game. You set up a hospital, cure patients, and design rooms. Some of the new features are what make this game so fun for me, though. There are challenges which you can issue to friends on your steam list who have also purchased the game. You earn points to unlock different furniture options, and you get to play through a few scenario that teach you how everything is done.

Needless to say, I’m hooked. The humor, the graphics, everything appeals to me. If you’re looking for steam friends to challenge feel free to add me, you can find me as Stargrace. My hours (of course) are wonky, but I’m usually around off and on through the early mornings (4am) and day.

As always, happy gaming, no matter where you find yourself!

Yarn Review: Petalicious, by Incyanity

I love yarn. Over the years that I’ve been knitting (I make it sound like a long time but I’m really just approaching my 3 year anniversary) I’ve figured out what types I enjoy knitting with and which ones I would rather avoid. I’ve tried to use up or gift away my unwanted yarns, and I’ve become a little bit of a (gasp) yarn snob.

When Sakaane asked me if I’d be willing to beta test some yarn for her, I was incredibly excited. Taking a look at her Ravelry page you’ll see why. Just look at those colours!

I’ve been using this amazing merino / bamboo blend to knit up my fingerless gloves, and even though I’ve fallen behind on the knitting (hey, I just had a newborn) this post is one that I’ve been meaning to make for some time.

Packaging was great, minimalistic without ruining the yarn or tangling it up (has happened in the past and it’s not fun). The stitch definition is fantastic, the colours hold fast and true, and honestly there’s not a lot of bad I could say about the product. Trust me, I tried looking for issues. This is an incredibly knit-worthy yarn and I can’t wait to see what other colours get added to the collection over time. Be sure to follow her Ravelry page, Instagram, and Twitter for updates and thank you again Sakaane for asking me to beta test.

BfA Sales

Sales have started to pick up a little bit, and the price of tokens continues to drop (it’s almost dropped below 140k at the time of this post) as people return to game and buy tokens for real world money in exchange for in-game gold. I picked up a few new tokens myself, stashing the bnet balance away for a rainy day.

I haven’t gotten to play very much, my monk (the character I decided to level) is sitting at a comfortable 113. I expect that getting one level a day (for now) is a pretty ambitious goal for me, and I’m content with it. In the meantime I browse the auction house looking for deals. I did manage to level my inscription to 90/150 but even that is pretty slow going. Engineering will take some time because the cost of ore is absolutely insane on my server (it’s 10k for 100) but I expect it should get better over time or I’ll just go out and harvest it myself in the future.

How are you spending your BFA time? Let me know in comments! Also, no spoilers, but the story has been fantastic. I am a huge fan of the opening cinematics.

Happy gaming, no matter where you find yourself!

Sadness. Slipping. Afraid to speak up. Afraid to inconvenience. Wrapped up in their own happenings, I observe. I know their stories. I hear their cries. I reach out.

They don’t. Stop expecting them to. Stop this preconceived notion that they should be a certain way. Stop being disappointed.

No family. No friends. No sleep. Just thoughts. Too many thoughts.

Enough.