A Green Mushroom

I can't find a new game to hold my attention.  I want something that I've never played before that grabs me and keeps me interested... but I've had no luck. Thankfully, I have a few fallback games that keep me happy.  Team Fortress 2, League of Legends , and Starcraft 2 are all amazing games that I love to play.  I started wondering why I keep coming back for more. After giving it some thought, I've come up with a few reasons these games stay enjoyable. PvP Done Right No matter how well an AI is programmed there is still nothing like matching wit and skill with another human.  All 3 of these games are based around multiplayer and have systems in place to keep things fair while competing against other humans.  TF2 scrambles the teams whenever it detects a big imbalance in skill.  SC2 and League both have awesome ranking systems in place to match players with others of a similar skill level.  This way, no matter how good or bad you are, you'll h...

From the moment The Kid awakens he's vocally followed by an aloof narrator.  That, above all else, makes Bastion stand apart from a stagnant game market.  The narrator's ever-present dulcet tones hounded and haunted me as I played but they simultaneously drove me onward.   Super Giant Games has implemented a storytelling device in a unique way that must be experienced to be appreciated fully. I should have written about Bastion when it first released on XBLA but I was far too busy playing the game.  I beat my first playthrough of Bastion within three days of it's release.  I honestly can't tell you the last time I was so drawn into a game. Mechanically, Bastion is a hack and slash, but putting it like that doesn't do it justice.  Every weapon has it's own individual feel, something often overlooked and no easy feat to accomplish.  Choosing and customizing the weapons that accompanied me were fun decisions because they actually mattered.  The...

Trenched is the most interesting take on tower defense that I've played in awhile.  This game came out of nowhere, it wasn't even on my radar, but when I tried the demo on XBLA and I was hooked. The second I got into a "mobile trench" I knew this game was something different.  The World War I/II mech setting somehow works and really drew me in as I played.  I did the first couple of missions solo while I felt out the mixture of laying down defensive turrets and charging with guns blazing. Then I discovered the best part of the game, multiplayer!  All of the missions can be played with friends or with a random set of allies online.  Once I played a map with allies I didn't even consider going back to solo.  Not only is four more fun than one but getting to see each player's customized Trench is a treat. There's all the customization I've come to expect from a mech game.  Various chassis (basically classes) with different strengths and weakne...

I have a huge craving for a single player console game.  I want something that I can have fun with while blasting through mindlessly, but I can't find a good one I haven't played!  Ugh.  But that's what happens in the summer slump. Anyway, since I'm in the mood for a console game but have been doing a lot of PC gaming lately I started to think about why  I want to play a console title.  The main reason is the sitting back experience. My oh-so-comfy couch When I'm playing PC games I'm always sitting forward (or at least sitting straight in my chair) while I'm engaged with the game.  When I'm gaming on a console I'm usually slouched back in my comfy couch.  They make for two very different styles of play. One isn't necessarily better than the other, but some days I just want to slouch in my comfy couch and chill out.  I haven't been able to do that as much as I'd like to lately.  I guess I'm still stuck holding out until fall.

When people shop for games, they want to know if what they're going to buy is worth the price they're paying. This is just like any product you'd buy, but it's arguably much harder with video games. Video games are a subjective thing at their heart. How much enjoyment a person has with a game can be drastically different between individuals. Different game genres, art styles, levels of quality, and even developers can make or break a game for some, while others could care less. So, people do their best to work with the tools available and try to turn a decision that's subjective into as objective a decision as possible. They read reviews written by an author they don't know with scores that are heavily skewed toward the high end of the scale. They watch video footage of gameplay and look at screenshots. Maybe they try a demo. And if they're lucky, they talk to their friends who own the game. But why don't people share and look at time pla...

Lost in Neurons is an analysis blog written solely by Klelith that I've been reading since it started. I would be generous if I said its posting schedule was average. However, when a post does come around, it tends to swoop in out of nowhere with deep analysis on a vast number of subjects from gaming and technology, to fiction stories and funny videos.  He'll drop it off in the middle of the night with little warning and vanish before you realize he was ever there.  This level of writing is beyond mine to say the least, so I have always forgiven Klelith for the sporadic   posting schedule.  I've had the pleasure of knowing this writer for several years, seeing that he is in fact, my brother. I have been asking for ages for him to do a guest post about gaming for A Green Mushroom to no avail.   I had all but given up when he offered to do all of his game analysis posts on this blog. Imagine my surprise! All of his other thoughts on things like...

We're so connected all the time.  Between work and leisure time I'm constantly looking at screens.  Technology is amazing but it's invaded our lives.  It's not always a bad thing, but I find I need to disengage to recharge my mind.  I consume so much content in any given day that my brain needs time off.  I need to give myself time to think original thoughts. Part of my problem is that not only work but also my hobbies revolve around technology.  I'm finding more and more that I'm a happier person overall if I take some time each day to be quiet.  Sometimes I just sit and think, but even more fun is playing with my daughter on the floor, talking to my wife, or taking a walk outside.  I love being around my family, but I love interacting with them even more! And it's the perfect season to step away from technology.  I try to remind myself to enjoy the summer!  Minnesota winter is always lurking around the corner and it sneak...