The only game on the poll that I've played is Gears Tactics, which is a great game. I've also got XCOM: Chimera Squad downloaded and standing by. But my game of the year so far has to be:
SnowRunner.
This game has absolutely got its claws into me deep and won't let go. I've never really been a trucking kind of guy, but it's got me good to the point I'm watching shows like Outback Truckers on my lunch break.
Saber Interactive has several phases of DLC coming out which is great, and eventually they'll add mod support on consoles which is awesome! Nothing extends the life of a game like good mods.
I didn't play SpinTires. MudRunner was good. SnowRunner is great.
There are three regions (Michigan, Alaska, Russia) and each region has several maps. There's a steady increase in difficulty as you progress through the Michigan maps and into Alaska, and I'm sure that continues into Russia (I haven't made it that far yet).
But you're not limited on where you can go. If you can get your vehicle to the travel points you can go to any map within the region, or you can move between the regions from the garage. The question is will your vehicle be able to handle the new terrain once you get there? I've decided not to jump around too much and just go where the contracts take me. I have used my scout vehicle to explore and collect vehicle upgrades in Alaska that work on my Michigan trucks, though.
There's a bit of puzzle solving involved in completing these contracts. What vehicles, add-ons, and trailers do you want to use, how many trips do you want to make, what are the road conditions, which path do you want to take. I had a contract to haul this huge, unwieldy construction trailer from one map to another. I got to the second map and had to choose which path to take: the much longer but less risky path, or the much shorter but more risky one. I chose the shorter risky one and hauled this thing across a natural rock bridge, an island, and a second rock bridge to the destination on the mainland.
SnowRunner adds vehicle ownership and that changes things from the past game. Now you can store your vehicles in the garage and take them with you when you change regions. Maybe you have a favorite truck from Michigan and you want to use it in Russia. Or maybe you're struggling in Alaska so you go to Russia, buy one of their trucks, and bring it back to make it easier.
There's a lot of vehicle customization. There are performance upgrades like engines, suspension lifts, and different types and sizes of tires. And there's visual customization, too, like bumpers, exhaust, and paint. Most of the upgrades are either level locked (you gain XP by doing contracts) or have to be found out in the wilderness.
Some trucks have to be found out in the wilderness as well. Some can be recovered to the garage (fast travel, basically) and some must be driven or dragged there first.
I think one of the best decisions they made was to not have any depreciation. If you buy a truck for 50,000 and decide you don't want to keep it you can sell it back for 50,000. The same goes for upgrades and the various trailers in the game, too. I like this decision because it doesn't punish experimentation. Maybe you chose the wrong truck for the contract or the roads you have to use for that contract. Or maybe you just want to mix it up by using a vehicle you normally wouldn't or haven't tried before. Not being punished for experimentation is great.
The co-op is okay. It works fine for the most part, but they made the decision to make the host the only one that retains progress on contracts. If you're the guest and play a bunch with a friend any contracts you did in co-op you'll have to redo in single player. You do keep your XP, money, and truck and upgrade unlocks/purchases. It's an unfortunate decision in my opinion.
So yeah. If using beastly machines to slowly haul cargo through nasty road conditions sounds like a good time to you definitely check it out.
Someone else's pet. I get to hang out and give scritches, and then go home to a non-pet house. Someone else has to keep them alive and clean up after them.
I dumped a bunch of time into this during my quarantine. They added "The Ghost Experience" which is an optional mode that removed gear score and added a ton of HUD and gameplay customization options. I enabled the Ghost Experience, tweaked the settings to my liking, and had a fun time playing.
Red Dead Online
I rewatched Deadwood during my quarantine which got me into a western mood so I dumped a bunch of time into this, too. They added a bunch of roles like bounty hunter, trader, and moonshiner that gives you something to work toward. The game really needed something like that for players to do. It's not the greatest solution I've ever seen, but it's better than it was on release.
They also changed the way the map works. You used to be visible to everyone all the time which sucked. Now your visibility is based on your hostility. Hostile players can be seen from long distances, while peaceful players are practically invisible. This change made the game playable for me.
Middle-Earth: Shadow of War
I picked this up on Game Pass. It's quite the upgrade from Shadow of Mordor. I'm having a good time playing, I just wish they did a better job explaining the improved Nemesis/Army system. I know I'm not taking full advantage of it so I guess I'll have to find a guide somewhere that does a better job of explaining it.
I was laid off on March 23rd, and today is my first day back.
I know I should thankful for being employed right now, but I don't want to be here. I've had this job for almost 20 years, and for the past several years the idea of making a change has been growing louder in my mind. I think the two and a half months away from this place has really brought into focus how much I don't like it here anymore.
I didn't for one second miss the work or the people here. In fact, at risk of sounding like an asshole considering the circumstance, the time I was laid off was great. I like being home and by myself so being on lockdown was not an issue for me. There was a steady stream of games, TV, and movies, and I was cool with that. I would've done some projects around the house too, but not knowing if my old job would come back I didn't want to spend money on much of anything except food and the regular bills.
But now I'm back, and will be for the foreseeable future because the best time to make a life change like selling your house, moving, and getting a new job is surely not in the midst of a global pandemic.
What a pleasant surprise. I just made it through Chapter 1 and it's been a ton of fun.
The cover-based action of regular Gears translates very well to turn-based strategy. The various weapons have been given to specific classes, and each class has their own skills. There's a skill tree with interesting unlocks, and a weapon and armor upgrade system. You can perform actions in any order which I much prefer over the more rigid system in the newer XCOM games.
It's got pre-, mid-, and post-mission cinematics that's been telling a good story so far, mid-mission checkpoints, and boss battles!
It looks great, sounds great, runs great. And it's included in Game Pass.
If you like XCOM or the like it's a no brainer. Check it out.
I've been running around in The Division 2 collecting all of the collectibles. I think I'm going to switch it up today and try out Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales. The first expansion for X4: Foundations comes out on the 30th I think so I might check that out as well.
I really wish I had a PS4 right now. This is the perfect time to play God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn, Spider-Man, Uncharted 4, and whatever other exclusives they've got that I might like. Buuuut I'm not dropping hundreds of dollars on that right now.
Edit: Ghost Recon: Breakpoint is free to play on PC this weekend. I've heard it's not good, but I'll check it out for free.
@merxworx01: They didn't, but I also neglected to ask about that. They're trying to figure out health insurance at the moment, but after that I plan on asking them about my PTO.
We're running on the assumption that my being laid off is a temporary situation. I'm guessing if I come back and didn't used them during the shutdown I'd still have them available., but if I don't come back they'll cash me out.
The Governor of Michigan issued Executive Order 2020-21 yesterday. The "Stay Home. Stay Safe. Save Lives." order.
Today begins day 1 of at least 21 days of self isolation. I was laid off so it also begins day 1 of unemployment. I've been assured that "your office is still your office" and I'll be back to work once this blows over. That sounds great except no one really knows when that might be. That's not a criticism, it just is what it is.
I don't know what to feel or really what to do. I've been lucky enough to have been gainfully employed since 1994 so this is all new for me. It's new for everyone.
I'm stocked up. I've got savings to last a while. I've filed for unemployment. I guess I'll just hunker down, plan for the worst, and hope for the best.
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