Tag: video games

Episode 14: Swords ‘n’ Stuff

ohyeahthatthing

So we’re vaccinated now and you know what that means? It means we spent time together without the expectation of having it recorded because it turns out we’re actually friends and have been for a long time. But now that we’re on separate coasts again, it’s time to get back to the podcast, baby! It’s a bit rough and rocky at the start, but we got back into the rhythm of things. It’s good to be back, and hope you enjoy the new one.

Geralt kneels by a campfire at night. The title card is overlaid with the game name "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt"
Geralt being moody and camping on the title screen.

For a couple of indoor kids, neither of us has been a very big gamer. Sure, we had access to Super Nintendos, Playstations, and GameBoys, but it was never something we really got into. Cut to 2020 when we were all stuck inside because, y’know. As more people started getting into Animal Crossing as a replacement for real world socializing, it was a reminder that video games are the perfect way to keep our butts indoors. Pay asked her brother for a recommendation, and he suggested The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, a game that is apparently loved by everyone who’s played it.

One of the Ciri vignettes that plays as the game loads.

Most of our past video game experience was on the lighter side, more along the lines of racing games, simple side-scroller adventures, and Rock Band. This sort of combat-heavy, open world game was really new to both of us. Even though we both play on the easiest mode available, we have found the game to be hella challenging. Definitely had to look up a few things before getting past some of the game’s hurdles.

Nithral, a skull-faced rider of the Wild Hunt in The Witcher 3
Nithral *shakes fist*

That being said, the story is intriguing and we’ve both put in several hours into the thing, so safe to say The Witcher 3 is fun and worth the effort. We both plan to see the game through. There are little things that bring us unexpected joys, like doing some of the menial in-game stuff that more experienced players asked why we bothered with it, or the odd glitch here and there.

Screenshot of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt where you can see through Roach the horse's head
Just Roach, the definitely-intentional-and-not-at-all-a-glitch see-through horse. That eyeball over Geralt’s shoulder is haunting.

We don’t go into much in the episode, but it really is a great looking game and one that isn’t bad to watch someone else play, if you’re not one for playing it yourself. This next set of screenshots were from when Adri’s partner played, and frankly it was kind of nice to have that visual in the background while reading or doing other things.

  • A man, Geralt, with long white hair pulled back, sits on a unicorn. A rainbow crosses the sky with mountains in the background. From The Witcher 3 video game.
    Geralt on a unicorn
  • A close up of Geralt as he looks down. From The Witcher 3 video game.
    Geralt looking handsome
  • A close up of Geralt, a man with long white hair pulled back, as he sits by a lake in the woods. From The Witcher 3 video game.
    Geralt looking handsome by a lake
  • Geralt from The Witcher 3 looks at a town, mountains in the background
    Geralt in town
  • A town's port, with ships in the water, at sunset
    A hella nice sunset
  • Geralt, a man with long white hair, with his arm around Yennefer, a woman with long dark hair, as they look over a misty mountain landscape
    Geralt and Yennefer look over a mountain landscape

All-in-all, we play this game in a way that makes it fun for us, which is what matters. But it would still be nice if we could pet the animals or feed Roach some apples.

A chibi Geralt figure holding a sword and a gold plastic dinosaur planter on a windowsill, facing each other as if in battle
Not entirely sure how Geralt would handle a dinosaur in the wild.

Episode Highlights

  • What tips do we have for not getting murdered?
  • What reality competition shows do we wish we could be on but know we’d be terrible at?
  • What menial video game task do we both find fun/useful when in a dark room?
  • Is there any strategy to our combat style?
  • Did either of us have Geralt engage in any romance?

Further Watching/Playing

Between Things: Duck, Duck, Goose…and Cake

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Pay’s working hard on editing the next episode, so here are a few Things Adri’s been up to since the last one.

Sophisticated goose mood
Baby goose mood
Fuck the anti-goose establishment!

Untitled Goose Game

When I saw the trailer for Untitled Goose Game, I was on a mission to tell everyone I knew about it. I needed to plant as many seeds as possible so someone would get it and let me play. Lucky for me, I have some very nice pals and family who cut out the middle man and gifted us the dang goose game. And hell if this game wasn’t everything I wanted it to be.

I. Love. Being. This. Goose. Something very calming about low-stakes hooliganism in a village. Highly recommend this one. Now I’m just waiting for the sequel where I get to be a raccoon in the city. Let me eat some trash!

A Hard Day’s Night (1964)

The only Beatles movie I had seen up until a week ago was Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, which is absolutely bananas in the best, ’70s way possible. A Hard Day’s Night is of a very different vein. More of a cute romp with shenanigans rather than a drug-fueled fever dream. (Though I assume there were drugs here too.)

I thought it was a pretty fun movie and held up almost 60 years later. I’m also a fan of The Monkees*, and while I knew the show was inspired by the Beatles, it wasn’t until watching this that I really saw the connection.

Oh, and now I know I am definitely a George Harrison kind of gal.

*Semi-related story: I once told a Trader Joe’s employee I was more of a Monkees fan than a Beatles fan. Boy, did that really dampen her mood. Might be the only time someone was rude to me at a TJ’s.

A Proper Layer Cake

If I had thought ahead, I would’ve staged this with the Bravetart book, and not the Complete America’s Test Kitchen Cookbook. Ah well.

Y’know, after decades of baking, it hit me that I had never really made a proper layer cake. I learned how to pipe and decorate as a kid, but now I’m more of a flavor-over-look kind of baker. So when it comes to cake, I keep it simple: sheet cakes, bundts, cupcakes, that sort of thing. I received Stella Parks’ Bravetart as a gift about a year ago (same folks who gifted the goose game, so double thanks there), and had not ventured to try any of the more elaborate layered cakes. When I saw the red velvet and cream cheese frosting recipes, I knew I wanted to make it for a special event in my D&D game. The group avoided the special in-game dinner where I would’ve served this cake, but I decided to make it anyway.

Hot damn was it good. I don’t like traditional cream cheese frosting that much, but this one was essentially pastry cream whipped into butter and cream cheese, so call me a convert. The decorating could’ve gone better. I didn’t have the buttercream at quite the right temperature when I started putting it all together, and I’m pretty sure I over whipped it. Still looks alright, I think. Wish I’d taken a picture of the inside to show the dark burgundy sort of color. Did I mention there is half a bottle of red wine in this sucker? Yes, please, and thank you.

Keep an eye/ear out for our next episode, which drops in February. In the meantime, have you subscribed? Or maybe even suggested a thing? If not, what the heck are you waiting for?!