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Gaming Diary: Playing Mass Effect Andromeda My Way

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Mass Effect Andromeda

It’s flooring me how much of a different experience I’m having with Mass Effect Andromeda this time around, playing for myself and not on a deadline. For starters, I can REALLY avoid the story as much as possible. When you just focus on roaming all over the new worlds and making them better for all living there, it’s rather enjoyable. Well, it is until you reach a game-breaking bug (happened twice over the weekend) or you see a really awful character animation, but you know that’s a risk as you go in. As you bond with the characters (that’s still 20 hours in, take note) and learn more about the galaxy from side quests, it becomes the open world Mass Effect game you’ve always wanted.

All you have to do is procrastinate on the story missions as much as possible.

In addition, I’m not nearly as frustrated with playing because taking my time to do literally all of the side quests has leveled me up considerably. At 40 hours in, I’m nearly level 50. When I played the game for review, at 40 hours in I just turned 30. It’s amazing (not amazing) how much easier grinding through the story missions, or even any mission, is when you are properly leveled. Since you can’t save your game mid-mission, and the checkpoints are far and few between, I spent most of my review overly frustrated. Like any RPG, if you take the time grind, most of the game will be a cake-walk except on the hardest difficulties. This time around, I’m having far more fun completing the main missions because I’m not dying every three steps.

It’s also nice to be able to take the time to make the planets habitable and create outposts. No time to do that before. For the first time, I really feel like I’m settling the Heleus Cluster and making a real difference for the Nexus and the galaxy.

This makes me even happier to have walked away from games writing. Who knows what other games I might have enjoyed significantly more if I wasn’t pressed to complete them in a matter of days?

Unboxing the Breath of the Wild Deluxe Edition Strategy Guide (Video)

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I know, I know, I got this bad boy last week, but hey, I’m unboxing it now! I didn’t even open the Amazon box until right before the video; that’s how much I love you guys. If you haven’t seen this strategy guide yet, trust me, you won’t be prepared for how massive it is. It’s ridiculous.

And I love it.

Check out the Breath of the Wild Deluxe Edition strategy guide for yourself below.

If you’re curious about the other Breath of the Wild Collector’s Edition strategy guide, I unboxed that one too. Both are simply gorgeous.

Gaming Diary: Mass Effect Andromeda is More Fun When You’re Not Under a Deadline

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Mass Effect Andromeda

After shunting Ys: Oath in Felghana roughly to the side, I moved on to Mass Effect: Andromeda for strategy guide reviewing purposes. I started over completely, including working with the character creator. The facial animations still make her look weird, but at least it’s with a character I designed and not the base model who looked weird in the first place. Best part though? I’m playing this game how I want to play it.

There’s no burning through the story as fast as possible. No more skipping scanning systems to save time. No more ignoring the insane list of tasks. No more picking just ONE loyalty quest to follow. No more ignoring all of the sidequests after Eos. Finally, I can do whatever I want, and dammit, I want to do it all. Maybe then if I separate the main storyline pieces by several hours or days, I won’t loathe it as much. The main story is kind of like extended family—you can only take it in small doses. In between those doses, you enjoy running around and living your life.

It’s definitely made a far more enjoyable experience, as really any game is when you’re not under pressure to finish it in a matter of days. I’m still under a bit of pressure with the strategy guide review, but not like how it was. It’s a different kind of pressure, but one I will wholeheartedly take over the stresses of game reviewing.

So yes, you can see how I don’t miss it. At. All. I can’t wait to give Horizon: Zero Dawn the same treatment with that strategy guide.

Unboxing the Horizon: Zero Dawn Collector’s Edition Strategy Guide

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We’ve been patiently waiting for Future Press to publish their strategy guide for Horizon: Zero Dawn, and it’s finally here. Many of you lucky ducks got yours on Friday, but I had to wait until Tuesday for mine. Doesn’t Amazon KNOW I’m the strategy guide aficionado around here? I’m supposed to get this stuff first. I think most of the rest of the world knows this by now. Amazon needs to step up their game!

I am pretty blown away about this guide, and I haven’t even used it for the game yet. I admit I’m a little biased toward Future Press off the bat, but they haven’t let me down with a strategy guide yet. I think Chris can concur with me. He still raves about their Dark Souls and Soul Calibur V strategy guides.

But without further ado, here is Future Press’ Horizon: Zero Dawn collector’s edition strategy guide.

Gaming Diary: Good-bye, Ys: Oath in Felghana

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Rage QuitKnow what’s best about no longer reviewing games other than the fact I can play whatever I want? I can quit playing whatever I want too! I exercised both of these privileges over the weekend, when I decided that I had enough of the crazy platforming in Ys: Oath in Felghana.

The platforming in this Ys title always pushed me on edge to begin with, but the Clock Tower dungeon was the last straw. When I realized I was trying the same jump sequence for the last 30 minutes with no progress or ideas to how to even get across, to the point my thumbs were hurting, I knew I was done. I’m not under a deadline. I’m not having any fun. As my lovely friend Blake says, sometimes you have to say “Fuck this game!” and walk away.

I didn’t even try to save my progress. I knew I didn’t want to even attempt the platforming on the lower levels again to get to where I quit. While I’ve gotten far better at platforming, it’s still not my forte. I don’t enjoy it. It stresses me out. I get frustrated way too easily. I know I don’t have the skills to do this. And you know what? I’m fine with that.

I used to hate quitting games. I always felt so guilty about it or that I was a failure. I can’t do this part, which confirms how terrible I am at gaming. I shouldn’t quit because I’ll never learn if I quit. I’m almost at the end; how can I quit now? Sometimes you have to embrace the fact that this one thing just isn’t your thing, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Life is too short to force yourself to play something making you miserable that is supposed to be entertaining. I love the Ys games, I really do, but I can’t deal with the platforming in this particular one. And that’s okay.

I still hope that Ys V and VI will be ported to the Vita. With Ys VIII on the horizon, this would be the perfect time to drum up some hype in the West. Until then, though, I suppose I’ll have to make do with Breath of the Wild and Mass Effect Andromeda. I think I’ll survive.

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