What I'm Playing - January 2018

I like video games.

I like playing them on my phone or tablet.

I like playing them on the PS4.

Liking something doesn't necessary mean you're very good at it, though.  If you were to compare my progress to more skillful players (like either one of my boys, for example), you would find that it takes me three to four times longer to finish a game than it does them.  I don't always make the best decisions.  Just like in real life, I am easily distracted by bright and shiny objects.  What this means is that I play the same games for months and months or even years and years because I am a sucker for side quests.

This penchant for not completing the main storyline is only partly responsible for how long I've been playing the first game I'm going to highlight.  The fact of the matter is I'm not the best at fighting with anything that requires aiming.  I'm more of a melee fighter, which is probably why I die so often.  When you're in contact with the monsters you're fighting, you tend to take a lot of damage.  When those monsters happen to be robotic dinosaurs, you tend to get squashed a lot. At least, I do.

I believe I am about 30% through the main storyline on Horizon Zero Dawn and I've been playing it for over a year.  I've got a lot left to unlock, including weapons, skills, and outfits.  This is somewhat amusing when you consider I eagerly paid for the DLC when I didn't need it.  Gage appreciate the purchase, though, as he had beat the game months ago and this unlocked a whole new storyline and additional areas on the map. Also, there's snow.  So much snow!

Moving on to the other PS4 game that I'm playing...

This game gets a lot less attention because it's new and I would really like to finish Horizon Zero Dawn before immersing myself in a new gaming world. However, when your kids get you a wishlist game for Christmas, you play it! 

This collection of Kingdom Heart games has been remastered for the PS4.  Because I only played one of them way back when the PS2 was our best gaming platform option, I didn't even manage to finish the storyline.  So, in reality, these remastered classics are going to be all new to me.  From what I've read on Amazon, there's over 150 hours of gameplay available.  It will take me years to make my way through all of the games contained on this disc.

So, that's the PS4 games.  Moving on to mobile.

There's one game I play all the time.  Daily.  For hours every day, mostly because you have to farm like mad.  Thank goodness for the auto feature!

I've talked about this game before.  In fact, it was just about this time last year when I wrote that post.  Nothing has changed.  I'm still addicted.  I'm determined to master this game.  Eventually.  Somehow. 

Maybe I should take up voodoo.

That was a joke, mom!  

But seriously, am I ever going to be able to defeat DB10 (the hardest dragon's dungeon) on my main account?  I begin to doubt...

Oh, did I mention I ended up with two accounts because of a login problem many, many months ago? I do.  Two accounts that require so much grinding. Luckily, both accounts have decent monsters and I'm able to help out our guild more often than not.  Although, I do believe I am one of the weaker links even though I'm at level 50, which is as high as you can level up in this game.  Funny thing about this game is that level 50 might mean that you're still in the beginner stages.  There's no real mechanism for telling if you're early-, mid-, or late-game.  Although, I suppose your ability to dominate in all the areas of the game is telling enough. 

The frustration that sometimes comes from playing Summoner's War can be relieved by a quick round or two in Trivia Crack.  I have two reliable opponents, my brother-in-law, Troy, and our friend, Jimmy. 

If you've never heard of this game, I think the title says it all.  It's a trivia quiz game.  Categories include sports, history, entertainment, art, geography, and science.  As you may well imagine, my worst category is sports.  I use most of my "try again" coins trying to win the crown in that category.

When I stop to consider how much time I spend gaming, I am impressed by how much I'm able to read.  Not to mention all the television and Netflix shows I'm able to consume!  I guess it just goes to show how much I love being entertained!