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GET 5 FREE VIDEO GAMES RIGHT NOW!
Hey guys. We’re back with the next round of FREE VIDEO GAMES!
Watch the Youtube that accompanies this video: GET 5 FREE VIDEO GAMES RIGHT NOW!! (Youtube Video!)
We will be checking out Amazon Prime and Epic Games for today’s write up.
Over at Games with Prime we’ve got some pretty cool looking games.
Double Kick Heroes is the game that interest me the fewest out of today’s platter. It is a rhythm based zombie shooter of sorts. Rhythm games really aren’t my thing. Neither are shooters. However, killing zombies to heavy metal tunes seems epic.
Ashwalkers is next. The initial summary did not sell me on it. However, watching the video Amazon Prime provided did make it sound really neat. The game plays like a survival walking simulator game. The art style is cold and seems to be primarily black and white. So visually, it is stunning tp say the least.
Following that is As Far as the Eye. This is another simulator game where you control the wind. From my understanding this is a game similar to the Sims or other games of that nature. It has some resource management built into it. You are helping guide the Pupils, the main tribe found inside the game. If you poorly handle their supply or get blindsided from the environment, such as water, your little tribes will die. Normally I wouldn’t play games like these. However, they are Jessica’s taste. As a result, we might stream some of it later.
Finally for Amazon Prime is Golazo! Soccer League.
Another game I was not sold on at the start. One thing that helps this game is the fact it is an arcade style soccer simulator. This just means it is a wacky, over-the-top version of the traditional soccer format. Another game I would normally pass on but the thought of playing two players with Jessica means we might snag this one while it is free.
So, all in all, I give Amazon’s selection a B-. It’s probably more fun if you’re into some niche genre’s or have some friends to play with.
Now on to Epic Games.
Epic Games is offering Windbound free this week.
Windbound combines two of my favorite things. Moana and Zelda. The art style has received praise from many different critics. However, those same critics have ripped apart the shallow feel of exploration and the tedious nature of the tasks and resource gathering elements of the game. Leaving Windbound to receive mixed reviews. Still, the game looks like a good time considering it is free. Don’t miss your chance to add an interesting adventure to your collection!
I’ve never played this game so I tried to include plenty of photos showcasing different aspects of the game. As it seems it is broken into two phases. The boating aspect and the land aspect.
There you have. 5 free games to start February off right! Thank you guys for reading! Have a great day!
Black Friday has Been Underwhelming…
I made a post a few days ago about how birthdays have lot their magic. This is a similar post. Black Friday was kind of boring. There were a lot sales. Don’t get me wrong. Yet I felt like none of the sales matched up with what I wanted to buy. For example, I wanted to buy the new Mario Party Super stars. Well, all the deals involved pre-owned copies, which I couldn’t find any pre owned copies. I tried to get Jessica Studio Ghibli films. The deal was buy 2 get the 3rd free. However, it was hard to find a 3rd one within my budget. I did give my mom some Christmas ideas based off those buy 2 get 1 free which was good.
I wanted to buy studio lights for my house. The deals for the ones in my budget were not great (like knocking 1 down from 80 bucks to 72 bucks.). The $999 one was marked to like 600 but I wasn’t ready to spend that money on a hobby. It was the same problem for a workout rack and bench. The deals on the ones I was comfortable spending just were not great.
Since Black Friday in person actually started on Friday this year, I didn’t really get to go shopping. I worked until 10 tonight. By the time I got to Walmart, there was nothing worth noting except the sale on Fire Emblem and Zelda BOTW, both I which I already owned.
Books A Million and Barnes and Noble completely let me down. I wanted to clean them out of some mangas, but they really aren’t running any good sales. Target probably had the best deal with some of their board games. They have Ticket to Ride and Settlers of Catan half priced. They have some other games on sale too that are worth checking out.
So yeah, there’s definitely deals to be had but a lot them were tough to make work out. I’ll be interested to see how the Cyber Monday sales go. Anyway thanks for reading and have a great night!
I Could Be A Minimalist- The Hobby of Collecting and The Burden of Consumerism.
I have been a prisoner of consumerism for years now like most of us. As someone who went to school for business and sustainability, I am well aware of this problem. I knew a day would come when I would care a little less about consumerism. As days go on, I get closer to that goal. The big reason is because I plan to move. I don’t want more clutter. I don’t want to blow my whole paycheck on comic books and video games. Another reason I am getting closer to being over the addiction of retail therapy is because I have started investing. (Currently, I have $1,600 invested since around January.).
I was okay with consumerism for about 4 years because it was new to me. It started with buying Elemental Hero Yugioh cards to build decks I wanted to as a kid. Than I moved in with my mom and found my N64 games and wanted to start collecting N64 games. Than Jessica took me to her brother’s comic book store and that awoken the trifecta. I was obsessed with card games, video games and comic books. And over a 3-5 year run, I built a collection I was truly happy with. When I pop in my copy of Pokemon Stadium 2, or when I see my Daredevil #2 on my shelf, or when I duel my wife in a card game, I am truly happy with where my collection is. The problem with collecting is that it never ends. Even when you are happy with where you are. Even when you complete your original goals. Even when your priorities change in life. I am still looking forward to new comics each week or the holiday games.
And yes. My collection is not insane. Though, I have probably hit that point where if I never added another game I could still probably never play every game in my collection. I thought that would be a wake up call but it wasn’t. That’s mostly because collecting and gaming are two different hobbies. The first one makes you excited you scored a new 3D platformer that you will play for the next 15 hours. The other makes you excited you added 20 O.G. Xbox games for a dollar a piece to your collection. So, who cares that there is no way I’ll ever play every Gamecube game I own? Who cares if I have no interest in the sports games I buy? It’s two different hobbies. Each are equally satisfying in my opinion.
I had an epiphany last week. A month or so ago I bought a copy of Skyward Sword on Switch for $60 dollars. I have played about 2 hours into it (I’m at the first dungeon.). Why haven’t I played more you ask? Because Pokemon Unite, a free to play MOBA, released in the same time window. So I have put countless hours into a Free to Play game and two hours into the game I have paid for. Something is not adding up. And this trend is pretty consistent right now. I have been playing Final Fantasy 15, a game I own, over Gamepass, a service I pay $10 a month for. My phone apps and my computer apps (Hearthstone, MTG Arena, and Bloon Tower Defense 6) are all free to play at this point. I’m playing a bunch of free games and not the ones I am putting money into. And with the way the Nintendo Switch is set up, I do not even need a T.V. to play on my Switch. Other apps I use like Pokemon Showdown are also free. Not to mention I am bumming streaming service accounts like HBO Max, Disney and Crunchyroll.
So being a gamer does not even have to be expensive in 2021. There’s my massive collection of backlog games, movies and comics that would keep me busy without having to spend another buck. And in the digital era, I don’t even have to own the clutter. Marvel comics can be bought on an app. Shoenen Jump has an app. Gamepass has hundreds of thousands of games on there for 9.99 a month. So why own this junk?
Because I like it. There’s a lot more to go into such as the fact I actually own my stuff. Digital properties are prone to being censored upon rerelease, being pulled from e-stores at any point, and the fact you do not own the assets. I like being in a house that is composed of my favorite things. Things that remind me of my childhood. Things that make me happy in a world that is generally depressing currently. I look forward to playing, reading and watching these things with my future kids and with my wife, Jessica. Jessica and I have game nights, movie nights and card nights all the time. We enjoy them.
However, space and time are two major things that are hard to get back when they are gone. And money I invest into my collection is money I cannot invest in my retirement. Those three factors heavily encourage me to slow down. Now, in a month I have added 6 Gamecube games to the collection, but I used store credit so my wallet did not feel as burdened by it. I am liking the strategy of using store credit to fund my hobby. I will continue to do that until space becomes a real issue.
So, at the end of the day, I could become a minimalist, but I probably wont until I absolutely have to. I will cut back on spending, definitely. But I still enjoy adding to my collections and chipping away at the goals. However, I am probably done spending hundreds of dollars on collectibles. For now. My money situation and life situation just make it to where it does not make sense. So I am not a prisoner to consumerism anymore. I am just enjoying life and trying to be smarter in all decision making moments. Surely, I will fail at times, but I am always improving.
Pokemon Remakes Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl Adding a New Type! Is This Clickbait?
Let me start by saying this is in no way bashing this article or its writer. I think it’s a great article actually. Read the original article here before reading my take on his article.
Secondly, I am making a YouTube video to correspond with this blog if you prefer the video or spoken form more. Watch it here!
Okay, so both of those disclaimers out of the way, let’s jump into it.
So this article by Comicbook.com caught my eye late the other night before bed. Many profound thoughts ran through my head. My first thought was obviously what the new type was going to be? X and Y was the last Gen to introduce a new type, Fairy. And only the second generation to do so. Johto added both Steel and Dark. I would like to think all 3 have been welcomed additions to the core typings.
Secondly, I questioned why they were introducing a new type in a spin off game. Yes most remakes have been well received and I think many are excited to revisit Sinnoh. Still, it felt risky creating a new type in a remake, something that has never been done before (and stuck. Like how Shadow Pokemons never made it past the Gamecube spin off games.)
Very early on the jig is up. ” A lot has changed since Pokemon Diamond and Pearl first released in 2006, including the addition of Fairy-type Pokemon.” Starts Marc, the author of the article. “There are still a lot of questions about Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, but we now know that Fairy-type Pokemon will be represented in the remake when it releases”
The new type he is referring to is Fairy. As anyone who has followed Pokemon with any consistency through out its last handful of installments, X and Y came out 3 generations ago back in 2013, you wouldn’t exactly think of Fairy as a new type anymore. However, the point he is getting at is Fairy wasnt out during Pokemon Diamond and Pearl’s initial releases.
Pokemon Diamond and Pearl launched on Nintendo DS all the way back in 2006. Hot of the release of GBA staple Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald, Diamond and Pearl were Pokemons first foray onto Nintendo’s newest handheld at the time. For those doing the math, Pokemon Diamond and Pearl were released 7 years prior to Pokemon X and Y and two whole generations before.
So the first time the players traversed the wonderful region of Sinnoh, Fairy types were nearly a decade away from emerging as the newest type. So in some way, Marc is absolutely right. Fairy is a brand new type to Sinnoh. New moves, new weaknesses and strengths, and brand new strategies await those returning to the region in the fall.
However, as we have demonstrated, Fairy is far from a new typing. Thus I found the article title to be misleading. As I said, I do actual like the article. It gives historic Pokemon background and states its point and view and even mentions how Fairy types add a whole new dimension to a game some of us may have logged hundreds of hours in. I just didnt care for the name.
So if you made it this far into my article, I would like to know if you considered this title or article to be clickbait. As a good journalist, your article will always rely somewhat on clickbait. Its just the nature of the beast. I’m just curious if, after reading the original article, you found that article to be misleading. It’s a question on modern day journalism and how much can a title get away with. This is far from the worst example I’ve seen. However, as someone who does video game reviews and news topics here, I’m very interested in what my audience thinks about this topic.
Thank you guys so much reading. Have a great day!
Spent Today Cataloging My Video Game Collection
Hey guys. I should have been a little more productive today then I was. However, I took the time to catalogue my Wii U, N64 and Gamecube collection. Next week I plan to maybe, hopefully tackle OG Xbox, 360 and Wii games.
My Wii U collection says 161 out of 165. However, I have a little different system than most, so in my list there’s only about 163. I am not sure what the exact differences are. I know I only count Bayonetta 2 as the only release. It had an original printing with Bayonetta 1 included and a second print run without the original included. I also include New Super Mario Bros, New Super Luigi Bros, and the 2 and 1 bundle as one game. Others include all 3 as separate releases (in their defense, they are all separate). I’m missing Devil’s Third and Just Dance 2019.
My Gamecube collection clocks in at 108 after a last minute impulse buy of Zoocube. Jessica said I should own the last game alphabetically speaking on the gamecube. Some of the highlights include Skies of Arcadia loose, both Pokemon Colosseum games, all the Mario Party games, and the Zelda collection including Zelda 1, Zelda 2, Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask.
My N64 collection only has 62 games. I thought for sure I had already broken 70, but alas, not yet. Some of the highlights include Super Mario 64, Ocarina of Time, Bomberman 2nd Attack, Silicon Station Space Valley (yes, I know this is wrong. It’s actually Space Station Silicon Valley but I can never say nor type it right.).
Despite being almost done with the Wii U and the N64 containing most of my childhood games, Gamecube is my collection I am most fond of. It is such a great console!
N64 and Gamecube games.
Not a very flattering photo, but Jessica took this picture of the N64 games and Gamecubes stacked how she did.
Anyway, I don’t know how many of the regular readers are into retro games or video game collecting, but here’s just a small look into the collection! Thank you guys for reading!
As always have a great day!
Games at E3 2021 I’m most excited for!
E3 has come and went. While the presentation did not quite live up to the hype, there was still plenty to be excited about. Now, full disclaimer. This list is based solely off my taste, my anticipation of the game, and how close it is to coming out. So while the new Zelda game is probably the game I’m most hyped about, it doesn’t have a release date and will get docked points accordingly.
Starting the list off is Monster Hunter Stories 2. Admittedly, I missed the first entry in this game series. I also wasnt a huge fan of the Monster Hunter on Wii U. Still, the trailer for this game looked pretty solid and interesting. I’m not fully convinced I’ll pick this game up short of a sale, but I can say it looks fun nonetheless.
Next up is Final Fantasy Origin: Strangers in Paradise. Part of me is excited for this game due to my renewed interest in the series, namely FFI and FFVII. But that’s what’s so cool about it. I beat Garland again in FFI the night before Square’s presentation . The game supposedly plays like the Soul’s franchise. Again, another franchise I’ve never really played. In fact, it is a bit of a turn off. However, I do enjoy the lore of Final Fantasy so I’m willing to dive into this game. Especially if it pops up on Gamepass.
Halo Infinite is Xbox Series X’s flagship title. With a purchasable campaign complimented perfectly with a free to download multiplayer experience, Halo Infinite will attempt to kickstart Microsoft’s foray into the next generation of gaming. I believe this will be made available immediately on Gamepass, so I’ll probably visit this soon after it drops on Gamepass. I did not own an original Xbox, so I missed out on Halo 1 and 2. However, as a proud 360 owner, my brother and I beat the campaign of Halo 3. I fell out of the series after that installment marked the end of the Bungie run on Halo. I am hopeful this iteration of Halo will capitate me again like Halo 3 did nearly 15 years ago!
Now, Metroid Dread. I think Metroid 1 is very outdated and Super Metroid is a joy to explore. I’ve never played the GBA entries but Dread looks a great return to form for 2D Metroidvania games. This is most likely not a day one purchase but a game I’d love to grab eventually. Bonus points for the extended gameplay shown off.
Next is Elden Ring. Elden Ring is what I always imagined the Zelda franchise turning into. Skyrim feels almost like what Zelda BOTW would be if it was developed by not Nintendo. Elden Ring feels like what Twilight Princess or Zelda 2 would be if it was developed by not Nintendo. Truthfully, I cannot really tell you what’s going on, but this game looks epic. That is enough to get me excited. If this comes to Gamepass, it is a day one download. I am still a physical collector at heart, even with the new generation of consoles out. With that said, I need to see more in-game footage before I commit this to the day one purchases.
Zelda Breath of the Wild 2 (for the record, not the official name as of the writing of this post), Starfield and Stalker 2 all seem too far out to judge now. However, I think it is safe to say, they will be some of the best in show at E3 2022 and be in competition for game of the year next year. We did not see a lot, but what we did see, gives me plenty of hope in these titles.
Far Cry 6 seems to be one of, if not the biggest multiplat coming out this year. Ubisoft can be hit or miss in their business practices and games they release. However, there is no denying their juggernaut status in the world of 3rd party developers. Owning titles like Rayman, Assassin’s Creed and the Tom Clancy games to name a few, Far Cry is another long running franchise under their belt. Far Cry 6 stars Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad and The Mandolorian!) as its villain. That alone is plenty enough reason to be hyped for this game. The setting looks good, the weapons look fun and the last few Far Cry games have been instant hits. Far Cry 6 is sitting pretty close to the front on the hype train this year.
Guardians of the Galaxy has become one of my favorite MCU movies and teams. While that has not translated into me reading their comic series more, I am beyond stoked to suit up as Peter Quill, Star Lord. This was one of the few games that received extensive screen time. I would say do not listen to the haters of this game. Everybody is judging it off the fact no one liked Marvel’s Avengers the game. This game seems, for now anyway, completely different. We could be wrong and it could suck. However, nothing about the in-depth breakdown gave me any concern. For the most part, if I had to name anything to be worried about, it is repetitive gameplay. I am not always into brawlers. Hopefully there is more than mindless action to keep me engaged. If not, the decision making dialogue and the way Peter can call on his members individually to take advantage of their power’s will potentially keep things interesting throughout the play through. This probably won’t be a day one purchase. It comes out pretty close to Black Friday and the holidays in general. I am hoping it will go sale as there’s about 3 or 4 other games I will be picking up around this time.
Such as Mario Party SuperStars for example. Another game that got plenty of screen time. I am sold already. Featuring 5 boards and 100 minigames from the golden age of Mario Party, this game is set to be a blast this holiday season. I cannot remember if they revealed any additional modes other than the traditional party mode. Regardless, this game should serve as a great stop gap until the next mainline Mario Party game comes out. I am truthfully ecstatic to play this game.
I should note, there are plenty of games that look good that just don’t interest me. Instead of naming them all, I will just highlight Shin Megami Tensei V. I don’t see the appeal of this game, but Jessica adores Persona 5 and wants to hop into the SMT series. This will probably be her jumping in point. Maybe it will grow on me? Either way, this is one of those games that cemented Nintendo won E3. This, Metroid and Mario Party SuperStars was enough to win it even without throwing in the BOTW 2 trailer and the other goodies they sprinkled in along the way.
However, the game I am most excited for is Psychonauts 2. I really want Psychonauts 1 to come to Gamepass. I played through some of it on Steam, but if they released it on Gamepass with achivements and the ability to play it on the big screen than I would be over the moon. Either way, Psychonauts 1 was great from what I played of it. Psychoanuts 2 looks like a beautiful, vibrant 3D platformer. I haven’t watched much of it past last years reveal trailer. However, I heard it is coming Day 1 to Gamepass and that is huge. I cannot wait to get my hands on it.
Man, this E3 got crapped on. And at times, it was horrible. However, I think enough good games got revealed or showed off that it was at least salvageable. There’s a lot of things to look forward to this year and next.
Thank you guys for reading and have a great day!
Virtual Game Night!
Tonight, as in here in a few minutes, Jessica and myself will attempt a virtual game with her uncle and aunt. Were going to be playing Letters from Whitechapel where 1 person plays as Jack the Ripper and 3 players play as detectives. We each own a copy so we will both have the board available to us. Outside of that, there’s always exploding kittens on our phone or even Jackbox games.
Let me know some fun family games that can be played over zoom/messenger. In June most of our game nights will be virtual like this so were open to some idea.
Anyway, thanks for reading and any suggestions. Have a great night everybody!
Streams Are Coming Back!
Hey guys. Thursday Night streams are making a come back! If you arent following our YouTube channel you’re missing out. Normally on Thursday nights we stream A Hat in Time content. We are planning on streaming random stuff over on Twitch so make sure you follow both the Dahubbz YouTube channel and Twich channel. Feel free to recommend solo games or Co-OP games. I dont usually play online multiplayer games though.
Anyway, if you ever make it to a stream, be sure to be apart of the chat.
Thank you guys and have a great night!
Cool Things Are Coming Soon!
Hey guys, No reviews for today. I’ve watched the first three episodes of ODD Taxi on Crunchyroll but I have not had the time to write all my thoughts down since I was seeing my aunt who was down from Michigan. Here’s an excerpt though it is not final and may be revised between now and when it is published.
Taxi Driver vibes are hard to fend off as our main character’s occupation is taxi driving. However, were far too early to truly understand the main character’s, Odokawa, reason behind taxi driving. Though we do know he is sarcastic and brutally honest. He rarely leaves to doubt what’s on his mind. No, he’s not likeable and you’d have to have his sadistic sense of humor to love him. Yet, over time you find yourself rooting for him. I dont know if I would say he becomes more noble or more relatable (I really want to say he becomes more humanized since all the characters are animal.)
Jessica and I plan to start watching Tokyo Revengers and To You Eternity very soon.
Tonight we are going to do an A Hat in Time Randomizer stream. I’ll blog more about later but if it sounds interesting. Hop over to our Youtube channel here.
I really hope more of readers will gravitate to the Youtube streams and vise versa.
Anyway, look out for more anime reviews real soon. (Tomorrow is the NFL draft. Hopefully I can get stuff done before it starts.)!
Thanks for reading and have a nice day.
We Will Be Streaming Mario Party 9 Tonight! (Wes vs Jess)!
Hey guys, Wes Vs Jess returns tonight. Live! On Youtube! As we continue through Mario Party 9 on the Wii! Make sure you are subscribed with notifications turned on so you never miss a live stream!
Subscribe to Our Youtube Channel Here!
Watch Part #1 To Our Stream Here!
For those of you unaware. Wes vs Jess is a video series where Jessica and myself go head to head in a variety of games. This time around, we are competing in Mario Party 9 on Wii. The Stream will probably start around 10 or 11. Make sure you are subscribed so you know.
Da_Hubbz 