Excited. 🙂
For my original Oxenfree review, click here.
Gaming
Playing Gang Beasts
StandardWyatt and I made our first Youtube video, with sound! Enjoy watching us play Gang Beasts and like our video while you are at it. Comment on your favorite multiplayer game below. You know you want to.
TowerFall Ascension – Wyatt is Schooled
StandardPlayer One – Bryan
Player Two – Wyatt
South of the Circle
StandardMemory is a tricky thing.
South of the Circle begins with a plane crash. But the plane crash isn’t what the story is about… or is it?
As the plane flies into nuclear dawn and credits roll, I find myself thinking, “Why?” South of the Circle’s ending shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise. The decision had already been made. I think I blame the faulty memory of the protagonist. Wishing for what might have been… could have been… and in the end, nothing. Blah.
12 Inches of Deception – A Tale from Risk
StandardIt’s your turn.
You place one guy, at a time, on a territory of your pick.
Eventually, you place another guy on a different territory. And another, and another, and another until all your men have been placed.
The dice of power, domination, and rule enter your hands. Which territory to attack first?
Passing the dice of defense to a fellow player, you begin your turn. Who will win?
Buried beneath 12 inches of snow, Tabitha, Wyatt, and I decided to play a game of Risk.
Phase 1: I Think I Can!
Tabitha placed most of her pieces in North America. I didn’t think much of it as I had Australia and the tips of South America and South Africa. My reasoning was that I could battle my way north to victory while still maintaining a base of operations (Australia).
Phase 2: I Thought I Could
Well… my strategy was a bust! Tabitha fought against Wyatt and I like a whirlwind. Before I knew it, Wyatt was gone from the game (haha!). Within the few fell swoops, Tabitha did me in and won. SHE WON!
I didn’t see Tabitha coming. I was clearly the superior Risk player here. Heck, I’ve played a 24 hour game of Risk before. I was going to win… until I didn’t.
Congrats again, Tab!
What’s your favorite snow day, rainy day, death from above day game to play?
Playing Together in Among Us
Standard“Do you want to play again?”
Wyatt looked at me. He had us playing Butter Royale on Apple Arcade. To say that I was done with it after 3 games was an understatement.
“No, I’m good. Do you want to play Among Us?”
“Sure.”
I hadn’t played Among Us before. I had no clue how the controls worked; I had no clue what you did in the game besides make guesses as to who the imposter is.
The game starts you off in the lobby where you wait for other players to join your game. Wyatt and I created a password protected game first, joined the game together, and then opened it up to the public. While we waited, I used the computer to change my color and add some accessories. Perfect. Once we had enough players (the minimum is four), we were good to go.
From there, we ran around and accomplished different tasks (as you can see in the top left of the screen above). While we were accomplishing tasks, the imposter lurked nearby. Before I knew it, I was dragged into a meeting where we could chat and decide who was the imposter. Wyatt and I decided it was a specific player, so we voted for him. Among Us then cuts to an airlock screen where the player who received the most “he’s the imposter votes” is sent floating in space. The person we all voted for, the person we thought was the imposter, wasn’t.
Our game went through this cycle a few more times. Each time we voted wrong, a fellow player was sent out the airlock. Eventually, the imposter won, and we lost.
Wyatt and I played 5 or 6 games together. Each on our own screen (we both have iPads). Completing tasks, making accusations, and generally having a good time.
I miss this.
Playing games, together, is a lot of fun.
It almost makes me miss Fortnite. Almost.
The Surf Report – Bible Reading, Social Media, and Alba: A Wildlife Adventure
Standard
Welcome to the Surf Report for January 14, 2021
.: God :
My Bible reading plan for 2020 has carried over into 2021. I’ve got to finish up:
- Jeremiah
- Psalms
- James
- 2 Kings
- 2 Chronicles
- Lamentations
- Obadiah
- Ezekiel
- John
- Daniel
- Ezra
- Haggai
- Zechariah
- 1 John
- 2 John
- 3 John
- Esther
- Revelation
- Malachi
- Job
.: Life :
I’ve been sitting here scrolling through Facebook. Mindlessly, I scroll past former friends and acquaintances. Some have tried to monetize their lives, perhaps even create some sort of lifestyle brand; Some have tried their hands at homebuilding, while documenting how many kids they have on the side. Through the countless pictures, videos, and inspirational images of scripture, I have to wonder, does anybody care?
We put so much time into social media but what does it really give us?
More importantly, could I start a lifestyle brand? 🙂
.: Gaming :
I spent part of my Christmas break playing Ustwo Games Alba: A Wildlife Adventure on my iPad. I love it! I loved:
- Skipping around the island
- Taking pictures
- Enjoying the wildlife
- Being able to explore and chill at my own pace
So, what about you?
How did your Bible reading plan go for 2020? Did it bleed over, like mine, into 2021?
Play anything good lately? Read a fantastic book?
Let me know in the comments below.
Welcome to JBG in 2021
StandardYou are probably now discovering what everyone else is discovering, the problems of 2020 have carried over into 2021. We are still dealing with COVID, masking up, and all of the little things that a pandemic brings. Here in East Texas, life has continued as pandemic normal. Which is to say that I’m still wearing a mask when going into businesses (thankfully though, not at work) and that I’m still beyond bothered by decisions this pandemic “forces” us to make.
In the midst of it all, be it 2020 or 2021, God is still in control. Beyond my annoyances (which are annoyances), He is still reigning.
In 2021, I hope that you’ll make the journey with my family and I. A journey were we can:
- Share what we love and what we don’t like
- Practice authenticity
- And continue writing on the topics of Faith, Life, and Video Games
8 The Lord is the one who will go before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or abandon you. Do not be afraid or discouraged. – Deuteronomy 31:8 (CSB)
2020 Nintendo Switch Year in Review – Pope
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Impressions – Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
StandardIn the absence of Nate, Elena, and Sully, where does the Uncharted series head off to next?
Building upon the lessons learned while making The Last of Us and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, developer Naughty Dog unleashes a new kind of adventure in Uncharted: The Lost Legacy.
I’m only an hour or two into the game. Enjoying my time with Chloe and Nadine so far.
The Surf Report – Junior High Boys, Dogs, and Star Wars
StandardWelcome to the Surf Report for December 9, 2020.
.: God :
I’ve been teaching the junior high boys, at church, for over a month now. I find myself surprised. I think, walking into this, I had thought these kids would be on the same level (at least) of the adults I used to teach. Sadly, basic Bible reading and prayer (essentially a daily quiet time) are really hard for these kids. Be that these spiritual disciplines are perhaps not happening at home, I realize we have a lot of ground to cover. And yet, it is hard to teach the lesson at hand when you are fielding off-topic questions, off-the-wall thoughts, and just trying to create a general order in the room.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the challenge of teaching this class. I don’t regret stepping down from teaching my adult Sunday school class. I just thought it would be easier.
Right now we are focusing on:
- Prayer – having one boy pray per week
- Reading – having the boys read the Bible in class
- Pushing the core theme of the lesson at hand
.: Life :
We got a dog! This is Gus.
Gus is a American Staffordshire Terrier (at least, that is what his official documents say). He is a good boy who enjoys having his belly rubbed.
.: Gaming :
Wyatt and I have been playing Star Wars Battlefront lately. Specifically the co-op hero battle matches that allow you to destroy one another. Oh yeah, we’ve also been playing Castle Crashers! I picked this one up on sale, and we’ve really been enjoying it.
That’s it for us. How about you? What have you been up to? Let me know in the comments below.
From Across the Net – “Inside ILM: Creating the Razor Crest”
StandardAnimal Crossing: Day 5
StandardThat Racoons are at it again. Little Timmy and Tommy are hard pressed for cash. You see, in order to grow their business, they need some of your bells. Or more specifically, they need resources to help grow their empire. Resources such as:
- 30 Wood
- 30 Softwood
- 30 Hardwood
- 30 Iron Nuggets
The wood we can get, no problem. It’s just a matter of shaking some trees over a day or two. The Iron Nuggets though, we’ll be hitting the rocks for a few days or more!
Nothing like rock hitting… hitting the rocks… and all that jazz.
Animal Crossing: Day 4
StandardWith winter around the corner, I’m starting to stock up. I’ve been purchasing things such as:
- A snuggly blanket
- A mug, for all my coffee needs.
- A bottom warmer. No need to freeze when your ruling the kingdom.
And best of all:
- An axe
Now hear me out. I am a pretty hairy dude. The axe is perfect for some late night trimming, if you know what I mean. I can trim with the axe… and I can even cut down some trees if I want to.
Whack a tree three times, you’ll find your pockets full of useful stuff like:
- Wood
- Softwood
- Hardwood
Whack a tree four times, and your tears will start to flow. Goodbye tree.
Animal Crossing – Day 3
StandardA day in the life of an Animal Crossing Star is something like this:
- Running Around
- Hitting Trees 3 Times, Collecting Whatever Falls
- Gathering Fruit
- Running Around
- Finding Fossils
- Fishing On The Beach
- And Might I Add, Running Around
While it may not be easy, living the life of a superstar, I do it. I do it because I spent $55 on this game.
Animal Crossing – Day 1
StandardI’m here, on the island. Running around, gathering sticks, pulling weeds, living like a partially deranged madman. Sure, I guess I could go home. But home would entail mucking it up with a raccoon in order to get my money back and procure transport. Having now seen the bill just to get here, I can’t imagine the small fortune required to get home. Guess I’ll just stick out… for now.
On My Radar – Next Stop Nowhere
StandardNight School Studio, developer of Oxenfree, has a new game up on Apple Arcade called Next Stop Nowhere. I can’t wait to download/try it out.
Next Stop Nowhere is a road trip adventure story set in a colorful, cutthroat vision of outer space. Play as Beckett, a simple courier living a simple life until a chance encounter with former bounty hunter Serra throws him into an adventure he never expected. And might not survive.
The unlikely allies fly across a dusty, deadly galaxy in a race to save Serra’s son Eddy–dodging gangsters, bounty hunters, and the dangers of deep space along the way. Beckett is in over his head. How he survives–the choices he makes, the relationships he forges, the person he becomes–is up to you.
A new story from the award-winning studio that brought you Oxenfree and Afterparty.
Features:
* An intelligent conversation system with branching dialogue that changes your relationships and the story based on every decision
* A spaceship that comes fully equipped with his own personality
* A completely unique version of space (the outer reaches of a dilapidated galaxy) filled with colorful skies, treacherous asteroids and a several orbits to explore
* A thrilling and thoughtful narrative brought to life by a vibrant cast of voice actors
* Cross-device play through Apple Arcade
July 2020 in Review
StandardI feel like I’ve been all over the map this month. July 2020 has been all about:
- Turning 39 year old / celebrating my birthday
- Playing all the games
- Continuing to read Brandon Sanderson’s Oathbringer (70%)
- As part of my reading through the Bible in a year plan, I read/finished: 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Ecclesiastes, Titus, Philemon, and Jude
- And a sinus infection that won’t go away
Tabitha and Wyatt bought me Paper Mario: The Origami King for my birthday. So most of my gaming time has been spent working my way through an origami world with Mario. I’m loving the tight writing and unexpected moments of pure Nintendo delight.
Wyatt and I have been playing Injustice: Gods Among Us a bunch. Nothing like Superman kicking the snot out of Superman.
With some of my birthday money, I picked up:
- Battlefield 1
- Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom
- Doom (2016)
I should note that Paper Mario has been consuming my gaming time, so I haven’t given much time to the above games. Soon though.
As a family, we have played a bunch of Throw Throw Burrito (think of the classic game Spoons but with a burrito war/fighting element where you chuck a burrito at fellow players. This game is super fun!
We also had a chance to sit down and play Disney Villainous, which I also got for my birthday. I like how you have your own character board/objective to complete while you also get to mess with fellow villains. Tab beat Wyatt and I with the Queen of Hearts (Wyatt played Captain Hook; I played Prince John). I can’t wait to play again.
My biggest project of all, this month, has been replacing all of the interior doors in the house. After this past weekend, I’m down to 4 doors needing to be replaced.
What have you been playing lately?
Let me know in the comments below.
Press Start – Paper Mario: The Origami King
StandardTab and Wyatt bought me Paper Mario: The Origami King for my birthday. I have enjoyed what I have played so far.
From Across the Net – “Focused on What Our Kids Can Do!”
Amy and Ryan Green, creators of That Dragon Cancer, announced The Playability Initiative yesterday:
Today, we are announcing the Playability Initiative at Games for Change. It’s an initiative that has our whole heart because it allows us to focus on the abilities of children like Joel, who may not be able to leap and run and dance and sing, but we know that everything they can do is a precious gift to the people who love them. We are designing a video game for “the one.” The one others may not see. The one that may get brushed aside so we can serve the majority. The one who the shepherd might leave the 99 for. And what if this one can only move a single finger, ever so slightly? Can we imbue meaning and joy and connection to that child’s ability? We can. We just have to be willing to consider them, to see value in their abilities, and believe they are precious enough to warrant our efforts. Because of Joel, we see all of these “ones,” and we don’t think, “what a shame,” we think, “look at them go!”
You can learn more about designing a video for “the one” here
