beauty

Pressing Onward – Thoughts on Death Stranding So Far

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Incinerate the President of the United States (who also happens to be your mom) – CHECK!

Survive BT’s (surrounding/guarding the incinerator) and get home – CHECK!

Go back to “the beach” – CHECK!

Start a mission that brings you closer to saving your sister – CHECK!

Connect the United States of America to the “Internet” – Wait. What? The Internet has been out?

What I love about Death Stranding is the exploration. Knowing that I can choose my route from Point A to Point B. Sure there are hazards along my way such as BT’s (see photo of ghost-like-things below) and Timefall (rain that accelerates aging/equipment decay). But at the core, Death Stranding is about earning that sense of accomplishment you feel from traversing unforgiving terrain. This game is beautiful, and I’m sorry that I let the initial poor reviews rob me of this experience.

Wolfenstein: New Order

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Some things are not meant to be.

Wolfenstein: New Order is a game that shouldn’t work at all… and yet somehow does. The rah-rah bro shooter moments mixed with alternative history and horror elements gel together into a gross yet beautiful game. I love the storytelling and the brave ending developer MachineGames put together. I almost cried at the ending of this game… almost.

Saying goodbye.

Cause I’m happy.

This was so messed up.

That moment when you know that your friends and loved ones are safe.

End Credits.

The Parenting Foxhole

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I’ve learned that parenting is full of moments where I have no clue what to do. It was in one of those moments that my wife reminded me how thankful I am to be parenting with her. 
 
Recently, we encountered a situation that called for an emergency strategy session. I had no idea how to proceed.
 
Tabitha looked at me, “I’ve got this.”
 
And she did. I walked back into our back hallway, right outside Wyatt’s room, and listened to her talk to him. A shining ambassador of grace, wisdom, and truth. I was in awe of how Tabitha handled the situation; a situation that she deescalated with poise.

Photo by Bill Jelen on Unsplash

I was ready to launch a rocket.

I have to admit, I’m not sure I would have handled the situation in the same way. But it was in that moment that I found myself thankful. Thankful for our different parenting strengths.
Tabitha, I love you. Thank you for sharing the parenting foxhole that we are in. I love the way you are able to speak to our son in a way that is hard for me. I can’t imagine doing this parenting thing without you. I am excited for where we are going as we add to our family. We can do this, together. I love you baby.
 
Bryan

Assassins Creed III Reborn

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As a History / Political-Science major, I was excited over the launch of Assassins Creed III. I even pre-ordered the game (a rarity for me). When all was said and done though, Assassins Creed III was a disappointment. So many ideas, poorly executed, with a game engine that couldn’t do the heavy lifting those ideas required. The end result was a buggy, slow-running mess, and I quit.

The upcoming PS4 remaster of Assassins Creed III has me intrigued. I’m wondering if the game engine has been upgraded? I’d love to play through this period of history. Maybe protagonist Connor has been given some hugs/love to help with his sour disposition? Maybe not. I guess we’ll soon see.