In an attempt to combat apathy, I'm going to be reviewing again!

Hi there gang,

Over the last few years, I've noticed that I'm not really playing games anymore. 2021 was the last "Big" year, but even then, I was largely disassociated with gaming.

I don't really have an explanation as to what's caused this. A combination of trying to start an actual career, having my first "proper" long term partner that I can see going the long distance with, getting older, having to maintain a house, and long term medication I think. I don't think it's one individual thing, I think it's a case of "I grew up" and gaming fell behind for me in my priorities.

In my heart of heart, gaming is still my favourite thing I've ever done in my life. Most of my favourite memories revolve around games, but I can't seem to commit anymore. I've tried Baldur's Gate 3, Sea of Stars, C&C Remastered, Starfield and a handful of other games lately, but nothing lasts more than 45 minutes to an hour before I think "I should be doing something more productive"

So, that's where this blog cements a level of commitment going forward:

I'm going to be attempting to review one game, and one series of anime a month. I'm going to start on Monday the 9th of October, and run through to the second Monday of every month. I figure a month is plenty of time for the kinds of games I want to play nowadays (Shorter, linear, narrative focused pieces of art)

My initial entries are going to be:

Octopath Traveller II

and

Demon Slayer

Both have been on my radar for a LONG time. I've actually tried them both briefly, but fell off them pretty quick. I did about 8 hours of Octopath, and about 15 episodes of KnY. I'm going to hunker down and give them a proper go.

If you're reading this, you can hold me accountable for a review once a month now, so please do

This is Sombre, reporting in.

I figure a month is plenty of time for the kinds of games I want to play nowadays (Shorter, linear, narrative focused pieces of art)

My initial entries are going to be:

Octopath Traveller II

Uhhh...

As someone who writes up games (I don't really do reviews per se, more reflection pieces) inconsistently I can say that this is a good idea to get yourself back to playing stuff, but man I would not start with Octopath II. I haven't played it but I have played Octopath I, and that's a game that starts off pretty engaging and then, IMO, becomes a horrendous slog long before you've completed the eight stories. I barely managed to limp across the finish line for one of the stories and every time I tell myself "you should go back because you're close on all of them" I remember how annoying I found that game after like 30 hours (and I've put in more like 60.)

Now the second game may be different, but if it's not I have a feeling there's a chance you hit the wall hard on it and end up unsatisfied.

If I were you I would start with something that you know you can finish relatively easily (Sea of Stars, which you said you'd started, is, IMO, a much better game and clocks in much shorter, but even that may be too long) and then maybe pencil in Octopath for a couple months from now. You can chip away at it in the meantime (nothing says you can't play other games) but get into a rhythm before you start tackling that kind of beast.

Just some friendly advice from someone who has been in a similar place.

Surprisingly good advice

Cheers mate

I would be looking at anything in your backlog you have a curiosity about. The length of game might not matter if you get way into it.

The way I look at my backlog, even if I don't finish anything, committing to see more of it is a step forward.

@sombre: Good luck! I have not been writing much lately but have been thinking of publishing a music blog that I started to write...nine years ago.

As someone who did write user reviews back during the golden years of GB, I say, go for it.

Looking forward to your write-ups! Your suggestion a while back for Legend of the Galactic Heroes was spot on so I'm interested in your anime takes.

looking foward to seeing your thoughts in the future. i myself went a bit through a similar spat of time a few many years ago , i'd gotten a new job , a active social life and then a man who is now my fiancee about 8 years back , for the longest time things were a stuggle to manage , i always gamed but everything else i enjoyed started to fall off and the gaming definately slowed. i feel its all a matter of time management , there is never enough time but its important to be able to feel like yourself and do thing you enjoy with part f your time too without the focus of All of your time needing to be in work or a partner. either way tho i hope this idea helps you push through , persoinally when i fall into a game can't hook me rutt i usually end up watching things but everyone is different , that said i might recomend choosing the shorter games in your backlog ? in my experiance its been easier to tackle shorter games when i've been in a rutt, not only do you generally beat them faster due to the length but i find it easier to fall off a game if its a longer one in general cause too many big ones can turn into a slog .