writtenlastminute

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Bundles for Black Live Matter

BLACK LIVES MATTER Here at Written Last Minute, we believe that humanity is equal and everyone has the right to be treated equally. Thus, we stand with those who are globally protesting the police brutality and violence enacted against black communities. There must be justice for the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, the latest names on a list that includes countless other people who we know and don’t know about.  As the author of this article is white, she fully believes that she should listen, and is ready to help in any way she can. Thus, accompanying this comprehensive list of bundles are links to relevant webpages, for those who want to donate and educate themselves.  Books for Self Education Emmanuel Acho’s Video Nerdfighteria playlist of Black voices and history The Google Doc with a comprehensive compendium of links The Bundles Black Lives Matter Support Bundle https://itch.io/b/513/black-lives-matter-support-bundle At the time of writing there are 10 days left on this bundle You can either get 11 games for $20 (£15.79) or 20 games for $40 (£31.58) Beneficiaries: Black Lives Matter and National Bail Fund Network   Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality https://itch.io/b/520/bundle-for-racial-justice-and-equality At the time of writing there are 10 days left on this bundle You can get 742 games for $5 (£3.95)  Beneficiaries: NAACP and Community Bail Fund Tabletop Fantasy Bundle https://itch.io/b/505/kurts-fantasy-birthday-bundle At the time of writing there are 2 days left on this bundle You can get 4 games for $20 (£15.79) Beneficiaries: Community Bail Fund Tabletop Little (One-Shot or Easy to play) Bundle https://itch.io/b/509/kurts-little-birthday-bundle At the time of writing there are 4 days left on this bundle You can get 4 games for $10 (£7.90) Beneficiaries: Community Bail Fund and Black Trans Femmes in the Arts Collective/ BFTA Collective Tabletop Solo Bundle https://itch.io/b/518/kurts-solo-birthday-bundle At the time of writing there are 2 days left on this bundle You can get 4 games for $10 (£7.90) Beneficiaries: Community Bail Fund

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Everything We Know So Far -PS5

This is Sony’s new Generation 9 console, which will be replacing the PS4, PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro. It will be released in the fourth quarter of the year in 2020 with no specific date as of yet. Also unconfirmed is the price - however both the PS4 and Pro were both £349 at launch. The PS5 will be backward compatible with a large portion of PS4 and PSVR games. These games will also benefit with a boost to frame rates, and the potential for higher resolutions. At this time of writing, games are being evaluated to spot any issues for backwards compatibility, but it is likely that at least the 100 most popular games on the PS4 will be backwards compatible with this new console. There have also been rumours that a PSVR2 will be released along with the console in the coming years.  There will be more control in the installation of a game. For example, should you just want to use the multiplayer mode, you can choose to only install that specific mode rather than the entire game. The same will be true for the opposite scenario, as you may have the ability to install the single player mode rather than multi- and single player modes for certain games. This will allow players to play the part of the game that interests them without having to install, in some cases, up to 60 gb of game data.

The PS5 will run on an 8-core, x86 AMD ZEN 2. The console will have an SSD memory of 825 GB. The graphics rate will be 16GB with a 44GB/s bandwidth. Disk enthusiasts will be pleased to know there will be an ultra HD Blu-ray™ disk slot. The audio will work on a “Tempest” 3D audio tech. Meanwhile, the video output will support 4K and will be 8K ready with specific TVs. According to Sony, they designed the PS5 to be as developer friendly as possible. We have yet to see the design of the PS5 at the time of writing. However, we have seen the new controller, which has been named the dualsense. This controller has been completely redesigned, even losing the iconic PS controller’s shape. The shape now appears to resemble that of a Nintendo Pro Controller or Xbox controller. The colour has also been updated, becoming primarily white and with black accents. The light bar has been moved, and now can be seen from the front of the controller, partitioning off the touchpad from the rest of the controller. There are now adaptive triggers where the L2 and R2 buttons are so that players can feel the difference when, for example, pulling a bowstring back in-game. The Share button has been renamed the “Create” button. Finally, there is now a built-in microphone which allows players to chat without the need for a headset. Read the full article

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Everything we know so far about -Xbox Series X

This is Microsoft’s Generation 9 console which will be released during the holiday season of 2020. At this time, we don’t know a more specific release date or pricing (although the Xbox One and Xbox One X were both £430 at launch). The new console series is being advertised as the generation with players at the centre, which is a step away from the Xbox One’s advertisement as a media centre for the whole household.   The Xbox One Series X has several new features, such as:  Quick Resume which will allow you to continue multiple games from a suspended state -returning you to where you were in game and to what you were doing without waiting through long loading screens.  Backwards Compatibility all the way back to the original Xbox. This means that games made for earlier versions of the Xbox can possibly benefit from a more stable framerate, faster load times and improved resolution. Also, the Xbox Series X is compatible with Xbox One gaming accessories.  One-time purchase needed for Xbox One and Xbox Series X -If you buy a game on either console, you can then play the correct version of the game on both consoles. This technology is called Smart Delivery and it will be available for exclusive Xbox Game Studio titles.  The Xbox Series X with its shiny new features will be running on AMD’s latest Zen 2 processor RDNA 2 architectures. The new console will support a frame rate of up to 120 FPS.  However, in contrast to what had been rumoured a few years ago, there will still be a disk tray, which will support 4k Blu-ray and DVDs. Also, the Xbox Series X is 4K by default, and is 8K ready for gaming purposes. The console has one Terabyte of SSD & CPU storage. Another important update is that there will be a new and improved cooling system, with internal components and three air flow channels. This according to Microsoft will distribute the temperatures more evenly, keeping the console quiet and cool.

The design for the new console has been shown.  It is itself a huge departure from all previous consoles before it. The design is very reminiscent of a small PC tower rather than the flat rectangle shape of older systems. The controller for the Xbox Series X has been updated, although not to the extremes of the competing new PS 5 controller. The controller now has a share button that is similar to the PS4. Additionally, there are now grips on the bumper and trigger buttons and a hybrid keypad like the PRO controller. The pairing system has also been improved; meaning it will be easier to pair the controller with supported consoles PCs and mobile devices. (Which devices these will be is unknown at the time of writing.) There have not been many other changes made to the controller aside from a few basic additions, as this was the primary thing the Xbox one was praised on. Here is a list of upcoming games for the console: Bright Memory Infinite: A sci-fi shooter and hack and slash set in a world inspired by feudal JapanScorn: A horror FPS inspired by the works of H.G. Giger and Zdzisław Beksiński. This will be a Microsoft exclusive.Chorus: A psychological space combat shooter Madden 21: The latest game in the American football simulator series MaddenVampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines 2: Action RPG where you are a vampire in Seattle during the holiday seasonCall of the Sea: A puzzle game set in the 1930s where you play as Norah, a woman looking for her lost husband. Also, the art style is reminiscent of The Witness. This will be a Microsoft exclusive.The Ascent: A cyberpunk action RPG. This will be a Microsoft exclusive.The Medium: This survival horror has you play as Marianne, who ends up investigating the murder of a small child. This will be a Microsoft exclusive.Scarlet Nexus: An anime-style sci-fi game where you play as a special agent with psionic powersSecond Extinction: An online co-op FPS where you hunt down and kill mutated dinosaursYakuza: Like A Dragon: An RPG where you play as a Yakuza member who took the blame for a crime he didn’t commit. When he is released from prison almost two decades later, he is shot and left for dead, triggering a revenge quest.Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla: The newest instalment in the action adventure game series Assassin’s Creed. We have an article on it here. Read the full article

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Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Announcement!

Known Details and Some Speculation Last night Ubisoft launched the trailer for the new game in the Assassin’s Creed franchise: Assassin's Creed Valhalla. The franchise focuses on the Assassin Brotherhood’s fight against the Templars (Yes, those templars) across time. All of which is loosely held together by an increasingly vague modern-day plotline.  The twelfth game in the series, Assassin's Creed: Valhalla, is set to come out on PC, PS4 and Xbox One, as well as next generation’s, PS5 and Xbox Series X in the fourth quarter of this year. The game is being made by Ubisoft Montreal, who have been making the series interchangeably with Ubisoft Quebec. Set during the Viking invasion of England in the 9th century, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood takes place predominantly in Norway and a vast majority of England. You will be playing as an invading Viking named Eivor, who can be male or female. This makes sense as while men were predominantly the warriors in Viking society, there were also the shieldmaidens and in more mythological sense the Valkyrie. So, to have a female Player Character is valid. The developers have already confirmed that the Saxons and particularly Alfred or Ælfrǣd the Great are the enemies of this game. This is interesting as Alfred was known for driving the Vikings out of Wessex. The developers specifically refer to Alfred as the King of Wessex, placing the game at roughly 871-886AD. They have also confirmed that along with Wessex (which went from Exeter up to Liverpool), Northumbria, East Anglia and Mercia are also all playable. As to why Eivor is leaving Norway for Anglo-Saxon England, this is likely due to war, harsh lifestyle and politics.  However, there may also be personal reasons of course, but at this time that is pure speculation. He is not alone and when he arrives in England, he intends to build a settlement. It is this settlement which he defends and expands throughout the game. It is possible the settlement will grow like Assassin’s Creed Black Flag’s Inagua Settlement or Ezio’s villa in Assassin’s Creed II, or even Far Cry Primal’s Oros. The settlement can affect game play too, and it is implied to be part of the protagonist’s personal story and goal of leaving a legacy.  The game has choices, i.e. specific phrases in dialogue trees allow you to form allegiances, or you could go to war and take part in raids. In turn these will help your settlement grow and change its culture. It is likely the settlement will be a hub where the player can partake in drinking or flyting (Duel of Insults) and take on hunting tasks. Another aspect of Viking life portrayed in-game is its religion. In the trailer, Eivor sees an old man who becomes a raven during a stormy battle and interprets it as Odin encouraging them. Additionally, ravens and Wolves who represent Odin in Norse mythology.  It has been confirmed that instead of Eagle vision we will have Raven vision. During the trailer, a woman with antlers is shown applying war paint on Eivor. In Norse mythology antlers represent Loki, the trickster god, who is Odin’s brother. The Ultimate Pack has a set of runes, which will be used to augment the various abilities of your weapons, this may imply that the other Vikings may interpret Eivor’s Assassin Eagle vision as shaman powers.  As mentioned above there is an allegiance system in the game, which could well act like the allegiance system with the Rooks in Assassin’s Creed Syndicate or Ubisoft’s Far Cry 5.  Along with faster loading times, there will be a big update to combat, which was last revised in Assassin’s Creed: Origins. In the trailer, we see Eivor partake in big battles and raids against the Saxons. It has been confirmed that there will be some naval combat, but it is not as robust as Odyssey or Black Flag. It has been confirmed there will be more weapons in this game and the gear system has been revamped to be more customisable. Speaking of customisation, in interviews it has been confirmed there is apparently more options offered to personalise your character than there to were in Odyssey. In addition to Eivor being either male or female and being able to wear different armour with differing colours, the players will be able to customise Eivor’s war paint, hair, and gear. According to the developers, the gear has even been revamped so that players can further change aspects of their weaponry. Additionally, it has been confirmed there is a multiplayer where players can use their customised Vikings online. Here is where we fall into speculation. It is likely the modern plotline will follow Templar turned Assassin Layla Hassan again. Meanwhile, we can speculate on what Eivor’s personal journey could be. During a sequence where Eivor takes an oath we see him stroke the cheek of a boy. There is also a similarly looking girl playing with him. The children are seen again in a settlement later in the trailer. Are these Eivor’s children, tying into the theme of legacy? During a battle we see an old man die, is this Eivor’s father. Is that why Eivor hates Alfred? He killed their Dad and is now threatening their kids. We already know that the pre-order DLC is called Way of the Berserker (which sounds similar to D&D 5e’s Barbarian Path of the Berserker in my opinion), the plot of which has Eivor join a legendary Norse berserker on a revenge quest. Who is this berserker? Are we going into myths and it will be Beowulf? Or will it be more legendary characters such as Ragnar or Lagertha? So far that is all I can find on Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, as well as some personal speculation. I will be sure to update you when I know more. (Interesting to note, but as I have had to re-watch a trailer a few time, I noticed that most of the writing on Alfred’s decree is in an Old English script (I am not sure how accurate it is) but then in plain Modern English it has "There will be War" and then Alfred's name is written in OE script. This is definitely a bizarre choice.) Read the full article

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A Descent into the Dark and Gritty

I should explain the article this week is definitely more of a commentary than anything else and that these are my own opinions and do not reflect the opinions of everyone on this website.  “I recently got into True Crime Podcasts” is possibly a very common statement these days. Nowadays, people are inundated with options on practically any way you consume media. Youtube? Top 5 and Buzzfeed Unsolved. Netflix? Making a Murderer. Podcasts? My Favourite Murder. These are just the popular offerings.  I come from a family of lawyers, and whether I liked it or not crime and law was a common topic of conversation around the dining table. We often talked about cases. Even the media my family consumed leaned towards crime fiction or true crime.

When I was growing up I recall watching several documentaries on various crimes. I don’t remember when I stopped, probably after I discovered I didn’t like blood, thanks to fictitious shows like Casualty or a poorly advised dive into horror. Alternatively, perhaps it was when I realised that these documentaries were real events that happened to real people. However, by the time I was a teenager I didn’t like true crime one bit and would often leave the room if it came on. Even into my early twenties, I swore off crime novels, even fictitious ones like Gone Girl as “just not my thing”.  So you may be wondering how I got back into true crime. The short answer is Tumblr. For two years I was bombarded with Gifs and memes of a tall gangly man and his shorter friend yelling at ghosts, demons and “connecting two dots”. Around this time I had a roommate who was really into True Crime, who I will call Beth. Beth does not have a stomach of steel, but would occasionally stop our endless scroll through whatever streaming service and ask can we watch documentaries on grizzly things like the Slender Man attack. We did and while I felt squicked out I was not too horrified.  I moved away and last October I gave in and watched Buzzfeed Unsolved. (Turns out Beth also watched Buzzfeed Unsolved and this season we sent messages to each other comparing what we believed happened in the cases.) One of the episodes for Buzzfeed Unsolved was actually an advert for I am the Night. When I looked it up, I realised it was about the infamous Black Dahlia murder and produced by Patty Jenkins and Chris Pine. I like Wonder Woman so during the start of the lockdown I decided “Why not?” and binged the show over three nights. While I was looking up the show I noticed there was a mention of a podcast on the Wikipedia page and decided it wouldn’t hurt to listen. I am obsessed with finding out what is true in an adaptation of real events so this seemed interesting to me. So I listened.  Looking back at my recent journey through the rabbit hole of the true crime genre, I am unsure how to feel. To a certain degree, hearing about these crimes seems pervasive for both the victims and their families. They’ve lost loved ones in violent ways and now every aspect of their lives and that of the victims is under speculation. I feel sorry for their families and friends having to hear their loved ones’ death talked about so flippantly. They aren’t allowed to grieve in peace. Most of the time, these are normal people who don’t expect or want fame.  Most of these murders or crimes, especially the famous ones, are horrendous or creepy and I don’t just mean how they died or what they went through beforehand. Why would people do that to another person? However, I feel I have no place to complain; I am listening to this stuff in my bedroom. If I have a nightmare, I have my cat and some tea. However, for other people these are hells they may never or will never escape. Despite this, it makes it all the more inspiring when you hear the stories of the survivors. For someone to have survived these things and come the other side is an impressive feat. Hearing these stories inspire hope more than most fictitious stories do as these are real people, not trained to deal with death or fictional heroes. The fact that people can survive these events is optimistic. If people can do that, they can survive a lot of things. It means there is hope and people can exist after trauma. Read the full article

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Locked Down with Animal Crossing

Animal Crossing, as I said in my review, is a time sink. This usually would not be such a huge problem, as we have school, work or family keeping us to schedules where we can’t play the game all day every day. However, at the time of writing this, most of the world is locked at home. All usual obligations like seeing family are banned, all social gatherings of more than two people (who aren’t in your household) are illegal in the UK. This has left a lot of people with perhaps too much time on their hands. This is the world Animal Crossing: New Horizons was released into.  And was this necessarily a bad thing? I don’t know. Animal Crossing: New Horizons was released into a world where most people feel isolated, depressed and trapped in their homes, desperate for at least some form of escape. This is leading to an overall sense of misery, as each day the death toll rises and we hear of more deaths and illnesses in our communities. This is something which Animal Crossing is good for: your mental health. Due to its nature, the game set out a timetable which the player must comply with to make the most of the game. For example, some shops are only open at specific times while there are only certain bugs and fish that you can only catch at defined times. All tasks in Animal Crossing are achievable, and a great deal of the new features make the island customizable. This can be very comforting for someone who has lost control of large aspects of their life. 

Animal Crossing can even fulfill the need for social interaction - even if you live alone. Every day one of my chores I give to myself when I switch on my game is talk to Goldie and Audie - my current favourite villagers. While they cannot talk to me in depth about the current state of UK affairs, or how Elsa is a lesbian vampire stereotype, they do talk to me about events currently occurring in-game. Most of the time these interactions are positive and I feel better afterwards. Additionally, via the game I can host a few of my friends in my little digital village. One of my closest friends and I spent this morning swapping roses and pansies and windflowers in-game whilst talking over the phone about my cat. It wasn’t the same as having her in the same room, but she got to see my in-game house and commented on my egg-cellent decor, and I went to her museum and excitedly yelled about amber.  Another benefit is that it can be a good distraction for children. While some jobs are non-essential, they haven’t stopped. Some people are still working, and even having meetings via Zoom. The game is simple enough with plenty happening that a child could quite easily get invested in the game. I will note at the moment this is speculation, as my usual test subjects for such things are staying safe quarantining with their Dad (my brother). However, Animal Crossing is not ideal for everyone in lockdown. You can literally spend all day playing this game, and that is not healthy for you physically. While most don’t have the luxury anymore of going outside for more than a brief run or walk, there are some exercises which don’t require loads of space or effort to set up, such as yoga. By playing all day you’re not doing any exercise, simply lounging around staring at a screen.  Another downside to playing all day is that if you’re the type (cough like me cough) who is always saying they need time to do stuff, and now have bountiful time to do stuff, having a game that is a literal time sink is sort of counterproductive. You are wasting time you could be using to learn a new skill or write a book, etc. Alternatively, if you are working from home, but your work is irregular, you might miss important emails because you're too wrapped up trying to catch a fish.  Another issue is that due to the times certain fish and bugs appear, it could disrupt your sleep cycle. Certain critters only appear after 9 pm and before 4 am. With no structure in place, or responsibilities the next morning this could be detrimental to some players who may try to stay up all night trying to catch certain bugs and fish. Obviously, it is important that people need to maintain as much of their normal schedule as possible (so as not to have a shock at the end of this lockdown).  Additionally, after playing the game without stopping for several hours, you can leave the game feeling empty. Whether this is the sharp sudden return to a reality where you can't go outside and see your friends, or to a world where you don’t have as much control, I am unsure. It could even be a painful realisation that you should have spent these hours doing something more productive. I am not sure what precisely this feeling is, but that emptiness when I turn off my Switch is sobering and actually the start of some of the lowest points of the lockdown for me so far.  All in all, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a good game if the current lockdown and state of the world has left you depressed and helpless. However, like all good things, use self-regulation and common sense. While the game can substitute some issues, it is not a catch all cure. You may be trying to do work during the lockdown, or remain productive, or you still have a normal schedule but you still want to play. In these cases, I would either recommend scheduling it in smaller bites, or at times where you would usually not be working. If Animal Crossing has helped you in the last three weeks then I am glad for you, but if you’re finding it’s not and you’re still stressed, depressed or anxious, I would recommend trying out counselling, or telephoning or dm-ing your friends. We all need to get through this together and I have faith in us that we will.  Read the full article

[writtenlastminute]

Locked Down with Animal Crossing

Animal Crossing, as I said in my review, is a time sink. This usually would not be such a huge problem, as we have school, work or family keeping us to schedules where we can’t play the game all day every day. However, at the time of writing this, most of the world is locked at home. All usual obligations like seeing family are banned, all social gatherings of more than two people (who aren’t in your household) are illegal in the UK. This has left a lot of people with perhaps too much time on their hands. This is the world Animal Crossing: New Horizons was released into.  And was this necessarily a bad thing? I don’t know. Animal Crossing: New Horizons was released into a world where most people feel isolated, depressed and trapped in their homes, desperate for at least some form of escape. This is leading to an overall sense of misery, as each day the death toll rises and we hear of more deaths and illnesses in our communities. This is something which Animal Crossing is good for: your mental health. Due to its nature, the game set out a timetable which the player must comply with to make the most of the game. For example, some shops are only open at specific times while there are only certain bugs and fish that you can only catch at defined times. All tasks in Animal Crossing are achievable, and a great deal of the new features make the island customizable. This can be very comforting for someone who has lost control of large aspects of their life. 

Animal Crossing can even fulfill the need for social interaction - even if you live alone. Every day one of my chores I give to myself when I switch on my game is talk to Goldie and Audie - my current favourite villagers. While they cannot talk to me in depth about the current state of UK affairs, or how Elsa is a lesbian vampire stereotype, they do talk to me about events currently occurring in-game. Most of the time these interactions are positive and I feel better afterwards. Additionally, via the game I can host a few of my friends in my little digital village. One of my closest friends and I spent this morning swapping roses and pansies and windflowers in-game whilst talking over the phone about my cat. It wasn’t the same as having her in the same room, but she got to see my in-game house and commented on my egg-cellent decor, and I went to her museum and excitedly yelled about amber.  Another benefit is that it can be a good distraction for children. While some jobs are non-essential, they haven’t stopped. Some people are still working, and even having meetings via Zoom. The game is simple enough with plenty happening that a child could quite easily get invested in the game. I will note at the moment this is speculation, as my usual test subjects for such things are staying safe quarantining with their Dad (my brother). However, Animal Crossing is not ideal for everyone in lockdown. You can literally spend all day playing this game, and that is not healthy for you physically. While most don’t have the luxury anymore of going outside for more than a brief run or walk, there are some exercises which don’t require loads of space or effort to set up, such as yoga. By playing all day you’re not doing any exercise, simply lounging around staring at a screen.  Another downside to playing all day is that if you’re the type (cough like me cough) who is always saying they need time to do stuff, and now have bountiful time to do stuff, having a game that is a literal time sink is sort of counterproductive. You are wasting time you could be using to learn a new skill or write a book, etc. Alternatively, if you are working from home, but your work is irregular, you might miss important emails because you're too wrapped up trying to catch a fish.  Another issue is that due to the times certain fish and bugs appear, it could disrupt your sleep cycle. Certain critters only appear after 9 pm and before 4 am. With no structure in place, or responsibilities the next morning this could be detrimental to some players who may try to stay up all night trying to catch certain bugs and fish. Obviously, it is important that people need to maintain as much of their normal schedule as possible (so as not to have a shock at the end of this lockdown).  Additionally, after playing the game without stopping for several hours, you can leave the game feeling empty. Whether this is the sharp sudden return to a reality where you can't go outside and see your friends, or to a world where you don’t have as much control, I am unsure. It could even be a painful realisation that you should have spent these hours doing something more productive. I am not sure what precisely this feeling is, but that emptiness when I turn off my Switch is sobering and actually the start of some of the lowest points of the lockdown for me so far.  All in all, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a good game if the current lockdown and state of the world has left you depressed and helpless. However, like all good things, use self-regulation and common sense. While the game can substitute some issues, it is not a catch all cure. You may be trying to do work during the lockdown, or remain productive, or you still have a normal schedule but you still want to play. In these cases, I would either recommend scheduling it in smaller bites, or at times where you would usually not be working. If Animal Crossing has helped you in the last three weeks then I am glad for you, but if you’re finding it’s not and you’re still stressed, depressed or anxious, I would recommend trying out counselling, or telephoning or dm-ing your friends. We all need to get through this together and I have faith in us that we will.  Read the full article

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Animal Crossing Embarks to New Horizons

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the fifth installment in the Animal Crossing franchise. As the first entry of the series on the Nintendo Switch, it has been one of the most anticipated releases in the last year, along with Pokemon Sword and Shield. However, in an unanticipated twist, the game came out when most of the planet was either preparing to head into or were already in lockdown due to a global pandemic. The premise is that you’re moving from an implied metropolitan life to a deserted island to escape your worries. Unlike previous games in the series, there is no town when you arrive - you literally build it from the ground up, even being able to terraform the island to your whims later in the game. Otherwise there is no real storyline. Animal Crossing doesn’t have a plot, but you build a community through completing menial tasks like fishing, fossil excavation, gardening and bug catching. These tasks reap rewards, like fish, bugs and fossils which you can donate to the museum, or sell for bells (the in-game currency). You can use the bells to pay off your debt to  your friendly mortgage broker and head of island infrastructure,Tom Nook.

While the artstyle remains relatively unchanged, it is clear from looking at screenshots of the older games (even the last game in the franchise: New Leaf) there has been a big graphics upgrade. No longer are rooms decorated with flat textured wall art or black voids. My favourite example of this is the aquarium and bug rooms in the museum. The bug room has a lot more details with the addition of bugs and fish from different sections appearing in the other rooms. Meanwhile, the aquarium seems more interactive, with a walkthrough tunnel section which is very reminiscent of Nausicaä Centre National de la Mer in Bologne, France. The game uses the same visual trick from previous games where, when you're walking outside, the land behind you falls over the horizon out of view of the player.  The gameplay has mostly remained the same, as has the actual gameplay loop. However, there are some changes in New Horizons, which make it easier to save up bells to pay off mortgages or pay for infrastructure etc. The inclusion of the crafting system, which I am mostly ambivalent about. Narratively it makes sense; you are literally making something from nothing on a deserted island and it gives you more of an incentive to shake trees and own an axe. The amount of times I’ve had to run home because my shovel/ fishing rod/net has broken and I don’t want to always be carrying sticks, hardwood or metal ingots with me.  Another change is the Nook Phone. This is an in-game smartphone that allows you to keep track of crafting recipes, Nook Miles critters and patterns. These features are a massive improvement to quality of life. For example, the Critterpedia tells you if you have submitted a particular fish or bugs to Blathers the Museum Curator. This is helpful as now you know what critters you’re missing without having to slowly walk through the museum with a notebook and pen.  Another addition to the game is Nook Miles, which is a new secondary form of in-game currency. Initially, you use Nook Miles to pay off your mortgage, but then they are used to buy recipes not available in the shop. Also you can use Miles to buy tickets which allow you to visit other islands where you can get different non-native flowers, trees, and fruits, as well as giving you a higher chance of catching rare fish.  That said the game is not without its drawbacks. This game is a massive time sink, and while right now this should not be an issue, in normal society it would be hard to access certain game features due to a busy schedule, work and school. For example, there are certain types of bugs and fish which only appear between 9 pm and 4 am. This is fine if you are playing as an adult, but this game has an age rating 3. I don’t know any parent that's going to let their younger child play this after 9 pm at night. Additionally, these post-9 pm catches tend to be some of the rarest in the game, meaning you can play this game until midnight trying to catch a snapping turtle because you can have one as a pet. It is entirely possible that a child could have a generous parent who plays on their behalf after 9 pm, but from experience this is probably not the case for most parents. Meaning some objectives like completing the museum will never be finished without either cheating or breaking your parent’s rules. Another criticism that I have is that the in-game events go on for too long. This might be because at the time of writing I have spent a fortnight digging up eggs, but a week is long enough for an event to run, eight days at most allowing space for two weekends for those with busy jobs. Something that could fix this is that the event could run for a fortnight, but if the player finishes everything earlier than that point, then they get the event to stop and only reoccur on the final day. Therefore, it doesn’t get in the way of other aspects of the game - like fossil hunting (I am so done with earth eggs).  As a whole, I found Animal Crossing: New Horizons to be a fun and relaxing game, with its release being at an ideal time. There have been some massive quality of life improvements to the game which just makes it more addictive. While there are some small issues; however they are mostly minor irritations which makes them stand out in an otherwise great game.  Read the full article

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Reflections on D&D: Things I have learned after two years of DMing

I have been DMing the same campaign with two sizable hiatuses for three years now. (I say two because the two hiatuses add up to a year.) And now that my game is wrapping up in a couple of weeks, I just wanted to share some lessons that I have learned into the ether.  Firstly, not everything has to be structured. I have done a few one shots made up on the fly with maybe one or two prompts from one of my players. If you are a new DM then for structural reasons I would recommend sticking to a sourcebook, but if you have DMed at least something akin to the Lost Mines of Phandelver and want to try being more adventurous it is possible.  This advice even goes for long time player too, recently I played in a one shot made by one of my longtime players who made up her own one shot from the top of her head. Everyone in the party, and a guest player, all thoroughly enjoyed the sessions and it was a resounding success.  However, don't try this for a big overarching story arch. For these, preparation is always a very good idea. Not only does it reward the players and yourself with fun sequences and character moments but also it allows you to look at different aspects of the narrative. Maybe you have a character who is scared of Drow, then give her a friendly Drow who she accidentally killed who was a paladin? Maybe that Pladin had a family. Maybe they will come back due to some necrotic schemes. Maybe you have a character who is unswervingly good, maybe force her to do the trolley problem. Perhap you have a character who is a teenager, forcing them to be the adult in a situation. If you are unsure where to start prepping: start with combat. Combat can always be made more interesting. This can be the addition of maps, or even boards and music (if you're players are ok with this -one of mine are strictly not). Maybe different enemies or NPCs will have different objectives - sure that goblin wants to attack you but maybe his lich boss wants to imprison you. Perhaps that secret society orc wants to get the fancy glove but maybe that human bard wants to simply seduce that big big scary monster. (Bards… I… Play one :)) However, your planning does not even need to end there, plan the loot. It does not just have to be money. Maybe the players find a cloak of invisibility on that troll they just killed, the lost item of some long forgotten party. Or maybe that Selkie has not much to give at the moment but coin but can later provide the party with ‘A one-off storm in a bottle’.

Image from Pexels The other thing I would recommend is take notes. If you are lucky, like my party is and we do not thank her enough, you may have a scribe. This is great,and you are in this situation: tell this player you value them and that they're work is indispensable. If not, do it yourself, you are the DM - regardless I would be horrified with a DM who did not have notes. Even when I am playing a fixed module I take notes. If you’re like me and another player, and writing at a timely manner is a challenge ask is it ok with your group to record your session, either via OBS, or on your phone. (My only comment here is get their permission first). Even then if you are DM, please take notes. Trust me you’re not sitting there sweating bullets otherwise.  Another way to immerse your players is character voices. Not everyone will do these, not everyone can. They are definitely not needed, this is not Critical Role or The Adventure Zone. Every table is different. As someone with verbal dyspraxia, I get it. However it does make some characters more memorable. Also adding to my last point - if you have a character who has an Irish accent, or if they talk like they are trying to say everything in one breath causing their voice to get higher and higher write that down in your personal notes.  Sometimes patience is needed. Sometimes, you will have players who will zone out during the game due to how their brains are, or maybe it’s difficult for them to be concentrating on the game right there due to personal reasons. You’re going to have players who are fast and will point out a solution you had not anticipated for. There will be disagreements at the table - people can’t get along all the time. Additionally, unless a prerequisite has said otherwise, you will most likely be seen as the de facto leader of however big your table is. They will treat you as such and it sucks.  Another piece of advice: never tell your player no outright. If they have an idea that doesn’t quite fit then workshop it with them. Try your hardest to compromise. Work with your player to understand what they want to achieve and see if you can work with them and the rules to try and find an alternative. My one player desperately wanted multiple animals throughout the campaign. We eventually agreed that it made sense for her to have an affinity for animals and that she could have a pocket zoo but she could only have one animal out at a time or the magic breaks and they all escape and wander off.  However, sometimes it’s not you. Sometimes there are bad players. Perhaps they undermine your authority or upset the party. They don’t take your party for granted. Sometimes, and it sucks, because it could be a dear dear friend but cut your losses. That isn’t saying throw them out into the cold; find an amicable way to either explain your decision or break from them in away that will not cause strife with you and the friend.  Biggest rule: HAVE FUN - seriously this isn’t a job, you’re meant to be doing this for fun. Read the full article

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Playing like a Slowpoké

This is an argument for how I play Pokémon, which I have been told many times is not the ‘right’ way to play. This is even supported by the anime too which tells me I play in a ridiculously convoluted way. So you may be wondering, Meg, how do you play Pokemon games? Well Firstly, I collect every Pokemon I can on every single route. I then level up all the Pokemon in increments of 3 or 5  on each route until 50. THEN I pick my endgame team. Nintendo via WrittenLastMinute The simple reason is I am a completionist and I need to collect all the Pokemon. The other reason is simply because it makes going through later sections of the game easier (in theory). And with that I shall get into the pros of this eclectic style of Pokemon mastering You get to know all the routes intimately. Did you know that there was a star piece on Route 5? Did you know there was a super rare pokemon on Route blah with only a 0.5% chance of ever seeing? I mean possibly after you had completed the main story. This way of playing you get to collect every single pokemon on every single route.  Even the rare, or difficult, or just annoying ones.You get to spend a lot of time with your pokemon too, so you really get to understand which moves are fantastic and which are not. Also every time you reach a gymn/ city/ or story beat you are a powerful pokemon master! The opposition's pokemon quake before you! (I am of course joking, please don’t scare pokemon. Even though  I realise they are digital creatures.) The downside of playing like this is that it is slow. Painfully slow. By which I mean it gets boring very fast. My only recommendation on surviving this is listening to podcasts, or binge watching something like Netflix or Youtube.(My recommendations for each would be The Adventure Zone, All My Hexes, The Haunting of Hill House, Buzzfeed Unsolved (all of it) and the first two seasons of Basics with Babish). Seriously I have listened to entire (British) seasons of podcasts while playing like this. So unless you like a lot of Podcasts or simple TV shows buckle in. (However, since time of writing this article the author realises there might be another reason everyone might be in doors with nothing to do.)  You really get the feel for different pokemon leveling at different speeds and my mind can’t keep track of which often. And then there is the big and most depressing down side of all to playing this method, all your friends have finished the game and you are on route 2. Which sucks. You’re bored but at least you have your level 15 Magikarp for company! With all that in mind, why do I level up like this? The first few times I played I only really leveled up my starter pokemon and the pokemon I liked, Magikarp and some rare pokemon. Then, I got to the end of the game. I vaguely recall another issue being that I was fighting a friend on the game, and he kept beating me with what I think was a Steel or psychic move that I had no good defense against. So essentially I had left a glaring balancing problem in my team. This is when I decided to go back through my in-game computer to amend this and  I realised that I had accumulated and forgotten about other favourite pokemon throughout the game. This is when I decided post game to level up all my pokemon and slowly I got to learn about them.  Read the full article