Gaming year in review as a dad gamer
Just wanted to write a quick recap of all the games I’ve played this year. I’m a 40 y/o dad of two young kids so that demands a lot of my attention. Nevertheless, I’ve still managed to log a lot of hours in various games and get through some of my backlog. Here they are, in order of my level of enjoyment:
- Baldur's Gate 3 6/10
I know I'm going to get a lot of hate for placing this one so low but I'm just not feeling it. I've never finished a turn-based RPG so I was reluctant to buy this one, but I succumbed to all the acclaim it has received. I've just started Act 3, 60 hours in and I'm finding it hard to get myself motivated to finish it. I can see why others would love it so I can safely say turn-based RPGs aren't my thing. However, this is the first game I have ever been able to customize my character's vulva.
- Ratchet & Clank: A Rift Apart 8.5/10
I love a good action adventure game but mainly stuck to Mario to get my fix. This was free on PS+ so I played through it. Crazy good graphics. Fun gameplay. Not too long. Would recommend if you like action/platforming games.
- Mario Party Jamboree 9/10
I started playing Mario Party when the first one was released on N64 and my cousins and I would play 50 turn games during sleepovers. This is the best Mario Party game yet IMO. The wife, 2 kids and I have played a few games so far and had a great time.
- Helldivers 2 9/10
Had a ton of fun with this one the first couple months it was out. Running around wreaking havoc on bugs and robots in a squad with my 10 y/o son was great.
- Balatro 10/10
I was given a PS Portal for Christmas last year and it collected dust until July because I’m used to gaming on a 50” tv. The screen is too small for me if I’m playing any kind of action/adventure games which I typically go for. Someone on reddit recommended Balatro in July and thanks to that person, I’ve put probably 300+ hours on the Portal since. Balatro is super addicting, especially if you are a numbers and Poker person like myself. Perfect game for the Portal. Balatro + PS Portal led me to try the next game on my list:
- Slay the Spire 10/10
Late to the party on this one but it is free on PS+ so I tried it out on another recommendation from reddit. I was hooked after my first run. Now I’ve beaten the heart on all 4 characters, cleared A20 with The Silent and working my way up with Ironclad. I mainly play this one on mobile now so I play when I have downtime at work. I love rogue-likes and card games so this was right up my alley.
- God of War: Ragnarok 10/10
The 2018 GoW was great and I only heard good things about Ragnarok so I knew I was going to enjoy it. Fantastic gameplay, beautiful graphics and great storytelling.
- The Last of Us Part 2 10/10
Thoroughly enjoyed this one. Heard a lot of hate when the game came out but I ignored it so as to avoid spoilers. Finally got around to playing it and loved the story. I don’t remember another game managing to blur the lines of who the good guys and bad guys are this well. I genuinely felt sorry for both sides by the end.
Games I started but didn't immediately get sucked into:
Disco Elysium -- Played maybe 15 minutes and it seemed super strange. Should I give this one a chance?
Cyberpunk 2077 -- A few hours into this one and got distracted by Balatro/StS. Does this game pick up after the intro?