cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/43998814

Today's game is The Last of Us Part 2. I... probably need to stop buying and picking up games. This is what? The 5th new game i picked up? In my defense though, it was cheaper than i expected and i got paid early than i thought. At this point i think i need to start cutting things loose and go back later. We did finish Halo 4 tonight though, so at least i finished one game.

Part II feels a lot more lively than the first one. I have to imagine it's partly because the first one was a remake, so not fully original. But like, Ellie's reaction here to being pelted with a snowball feels very lively. I hadn't realized it used the same engine as Part 1's remake either, which i both like and don't like. It's familiar, but damn, it's fun seeing the differences in engines between sequels and i feel like a new engine could breed creativity.

I had just left Jackson before i stopped today, but damn the place feels so lively. Something about it feels far more bustling than anything seen in the first. And the snow? Perfect. Snow in games is a surefire way to get me on board with it. I love a good snow in games.

Not even 10 minutes in and i already like Jesse here too. I'm hoping he doesnt turn into a villain or something, because i really like him. He's the kind of snark i like in a character.

Ellie's room also had a PS3 in it, which, awesome. I like that they kept that consistency with the first game. They could have very easily put a PS5 in there as advertisement and i feel like they could have gotten away with it. Even cooler is that it had Uncharted there in the game pile though. It's awesome seeing Naughty Dog showcase their library like this.

I'm legit so excited to play through this. I know reactions are mixed, but the First one left me wanting to see where this goes so i'm excited. I wasn't expecting to pick this up for a while.

According to a recent fan poll on Rankiwiki, gamers voted on their favorite titles among the highest-grossing video games. The results put "Minecraft" at the top, followed by "Fortnite" and "Grand Theft Auto V".

(Reference only: full poll results on Rankiwiki — https://rankiwiki.com/archives/3955)

What do you think of these rankings? Which blockbuster game is your personal favorite, and do you agree with the top picks?

Today is (finally) some more Prey (2016). I spent a while just dicking around in the Lobby area and ended up going on my first space walk. I completely forgot about these parts of the game, which is a tragedy because they're so fucking cool. Growing up i always wanted to be an astronaut (a fear of heights quickly put a stop to that though), so anything that let's me get close to that earns a fuck ton of points from me.

The space segments are so cool too. Being able to float around the space station outside to get around is awesome, and it is faster too so you don't have to do long ass back tracks.

The game had this test tube with mimics where you could detonate a recycling charge that i had come across. Honestly, the lab environment i feel let's this game get away with being really obvious about it's tutorials. And that's a good thing! A lot of games need more hands on tutorials in my opinion, as a lot of them neglect to explain crucial mechanics i feel like.

I also like how the game often has like 7 ways of solving puzzles. Like there was a generator you needed past while it was going hay wire. You could go around it, or shut the power off, or sprint past if your speed was high, or use the Gloo gun to seal it and go past.

I ended off today by doing the medical center quest and looking around. I had noticed i could see the previous lab area i had been in when i got off, which is such a cool detail i hadn't noticed. Especially considering they could have just left it blank and too the player's imagination.

I'll be honest: I think matchmaking is just a better experience for how I like to play FPS games. I never got a sense of "community" from sticking with a given server; I would come to find something like it via Discord years later but not just from frequenting a given game server. My server browser experience was mostly that I'd join a game in a progress, as other people come and go from a game in progress, and I wondered what the point of the match was if the teams weren't even the same at the end of the match as when they began. Most people's default when running a server was to turn player numbers to max and, in Battlefield's case, "tickets" needed to win as well, but just because the numbers are bigger doesn't mean that it's better pacing for a match, for instance. Matchmaking sets the defaults and ensures a pretty consistent experience from start to finish of each match.

This comment from the developer is true, too.

"Matchmaking servers spin up in seconds (get filled with players), and spin down after the game is over," Sirland wrote in a thread on X last week. "That couple of seconds when servers lose a lot of players mid-game is the only time you can join, which makes it a tricky combination (and full of queuing to join issues).

My preference for the matchmaking experience is reflected across the audience they cater to, and it contributed to an industry focus on matchmaking and the end of server browsers.

But we still need real server browsers.

If we bought a game, we should be able to do what we want with it, including running those max player/max ticket servers that run 24/7 on one map. We should be able to do it without DICE/EA's permission, on our own if we so choose, without salaried staff running master server operations, because one day the revenue this game brings in will not justify the costs to keep it going. We should be able to deal with cheaters by vote kicking them from the server rather than installing increasingly invasive mandatory anti cheat solutions that don't even fully solve the problem anyway, because it's unsolvable.

High Score: 1,324,627,321 on Area 5 with 0 continues - Bomb mode.

The Battle Was Just to Continue that Future

I made it past the midboss, but Area 5 is RIDICULOUS and I am never getting that 1 CC. That's fine, I'm still very proud of this. I never thought I would be into bullet hells, they seemed frustrating and out of my reach, but now I play them to relax. Once you crack them they're really not so intimidating and very conducive to flow state. Cave makes some of the absolute best and I adore the crunchy 2D pixel work. Also highly recommend Espgaluda and Mushihimasama Futari. I also have a soft spot for Deathsmiles, ESPRa.De., and Muchi Muchi Pork. For non-Cave stuff, Raizing's Armed Police Batrider and Sorcer Striker/Dimahoo are great as well as Psiykyo's Dragon Blaze.

Seriously, give them a try. Fire up MAME where you can pump infinite virtual quarters into them, pick one to focus on and see what you can do. You might be surprised.

Game Information

Game Title: Drag x Drive

Platforms:

• Nintendo Switch (Aug 14, 2025)

Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic - 56 average - 0% recommended - 6 reviews

Critic Reviews

Cerealkillerz - Steve Brieller - German - 7.9 / 10

Drag x Drive is a neat tech demo for the Switch 2’s mouse-style controls. However, its replay value is limited, as the mini-games and core basketball gameplay can only entertain for so long.

Checkpoint Gaming - Charlie Kelly - 6 / 10

With Drag x Drive, Nintendo's latest multiplayer jaunt is both the things we hoped for and the things we feared. It feels immersive and thrilling in the middle of matches to be giving it your all as you speed across a court and try to sink shots as best you can, being one with the chaos. Similarly, it's a concept and control scheme that we haven't seen before in games, one that deserves credit. In the same breath, though, this hyper-specific control scheme and skill ceiling will leave a lot of players, both casual and lesser-abled, behind with how demanding it can be. It doesn't help that the Nintendo charm isn't quite there, nor is there enough substantial side content. Fun in controlled doses, Drag x Drive remains a game I will eagerly keep an eye on, hoping and praying it gets the post-launch support, quality of life and updates it needs to be the hallmark of quirky and accessible multiplayer game design it is so clearly desperately trying to be.

Console Creatures - Bobby Pashalidis - 6 / 10

Drag x Drive is fun, but it doesn't pack enough content to keep players coming back. The three-on-three basketball games can be fun with the right teammates, and nailing some sweet tricks for bonus points is satisfying, but the magic quickly wears thin.

Digitec Magazine - Domagoj Belancic - German - 2 / 5

The unusual gameplay foundation of Drag X Drive is compelling. It's fun to use the Joy-Con-2-mice to control the wheelchair as you race across the basketball court – even if I sometimes cramp up in the process. The exciting online matches against real drivers are the highlight of the game.
Apart from that, the title offers little convincing arguments for a purchase. Uninspired side content, a lack of a progression system, and the dull visuals make the game seem soulless at times. I miss the magic that is typical of Nintendo. Even it's low price point, I cannot recommend the game – unless you really, REALLY want to try out the ingenious controls.

Press Start - James Berich - 5.5 / 10

Drag x Drive has some fun and unique core mechanics that take great advantage of one of the most distinctive features of the Nintendo Switch 2 hardware. But after a few matches and the novelty has worn off, A game can only be so fun until you've played all its cards, and unfortunately, Drag x Drive is not quite playing with a full deck.

TheSixthAxis - Stefan L - 5 / 10

Drag x Drive makes good use of the Joy-Con 2 mouse controls for a simple game of wheelchair basketball, but it lacks the charm and personality you'd expect from a Nintendo game.

Battledield now throwing an error because Valorant is already sitting in kernel memory. Time to buy your EA Battlefield PC but don't forget your Valorant PC

Today's game is Halo 4. With us wrapping up ODST the other day and me finally getting home, we decided to speed through this. The campaign is shorter than i remember. We're more than halfway through now and only played for one day.

Having 4 friends makes this way more tolerable. Playing on heroic probably helps too. Though, i will say i've accidentally made it into a PvP game with my friends. There was a time where we had to start the same section over and over again because we kept blowing eachother up with grenades in a lift.

Last time i played the campaign i commented on how multiplayer unfriendly it feels. Now that i'm playing through it again, i can reassure that i still feel that way. The two main complaints are that it warps you to other players way to strictly (something everyone, including the new player agreed with) and the way it doesn't really scale with 4 players it feels like. namely the Mantis section. You only get 1 at the start, and then 2 more later on. So assuming the first one makes it to the end, one player still gets told to pound sand. It's a shame because the mantis is so fun to drive.

One thing i will praise this game for is most of the weapons (except the Forerunner weapons. For me personally everything soaks them up and they feel like they play like shit). The AR Feels fucking amazing. It's my favorite version yet. And the DMR is great too.

I really like this game's canyon levels, specifically the one on Infinity where you get to drive a Tank. I'm not a big war game guy, but it was an absolute blast just rolling through the canyon with my friends and blowing things up. It felt a bit like a power trip, especially after i didn't get Tank privileges in Halo ODST.

We're going to finish up the game tomorrow hopefully, but we'll say. Tomorrow kind of looks like it's shaping up to be a busy day for everyone.