Happy Christmas Eve! This post is not about the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ, but about my Playstation habits of 2023. We can be geeky even on the holidays!
Stats
Thanks to the Wrap Up from Playstation, I know how much time I spent gaming this year! At least on that platform.
Stellaris
I spent a lot of time in Stellaris! This game is far from new, and also held my top spot last year. From the ever reliable Wikipedia:
Stellaris is an explore, expand, exploit, exterminate grand strategy video game developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive. In Stellaris, players take control of an interstellar civilization on the galactic stage and are tasked with exploring, colonizing, and managing their region of the galaxy, encountering other civilizations that they can then engage in diplomacy, trade, or warfare with. A large part of the game involves dealing with both scripted and emergent events, through which new empires alter the balance of power, powerful crises threaten the galaxy, or event chains tell the story of forgotten empires.
What I like most about this game is I can relax while playing it. There’s no rush and I can pause anytime. I can set it on easy and fulfil any desire to conquer the galaxy, or ramp up the difficulty and work a little harder on strategy. It is my go to game when I’ve had a hard day at work and don’t want to think too much anymore.
Baldur’s Gate 3
This would have had more hours, but it just came out in the fall and I was also studying for my PMP during that timeframe. This game is made by the folks who made my favorite game, Divinity Original Sin II. It is the third installment of a beloved story following BG1 and BG2. And it uses the Dungeons and Dragons 5e system as a base, which is what I play at least once a week with friends.
I started off with a paladin, which was great for most of the game. I always play good characters in all games and at our table top nights. This time though, I got to Act 3 and wanted to start over. The game is so interesting and has so many paths, I knew that an evil playthrough would probably be even more enjoyable as I wouldn’t know what to expect.
So now I’m 20 or so hours into a new playthrough as the Dark Urge. I’ve maimed or killed one companion and two left without saying goodbye after I did something particularly evil. I’m not sure why this is so entertaining, but here we are.
Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous
This is another RPG like BG3. I’ve probably spent 100 hours on it total across the last two years, but I’ve never finished it. It is a good game, but I’m very prone to growing a little bored after 50-80 hours of gameplay and I just stop for a bit. When I return, I just want to start over as I’ve forgotten so much. Divinity Original Sin II is one of the rare exceptions.
I’ve recently purchased Warhammer 40k: Rogue Trader, and it is made by the same company. We’ll see if I stick with that one to the end, but regardless these games are worth the investment in terms of $/hour spent.
Diablo IV
This is just a hack and slash good time of a game. I played Diablo II extensively in college, and III and IV have given me good feelings of nostalgia. It otherwise isn’t mind blowing, but still enjoyable.
Prison Architect
This one is an odd one, I know. But I get to build a building exactly the way I want it. I can set it on easy and then not think. Same concept as Stellaris after a long day of work.
Other Platforms
I also own a Nintendo Switch. I tried playing Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, of course, but sadly it gave me motion sickness. That’s a problem I have with all first person POV games, but is now more common with third person games too, such as Jedi Fallen Order and Survivor. I wonder if my larger TV has something to do with it. I’m certainly not going to blame my age.
It doesn’t give me yearly stats like Playstation, but I know I spent quite a bit of time on my Switch playing Stardew Valley. This is such a chill game and is easy to get into and hang out in when I don’t want to think too hard, but don’t feel like playing Stellaris.
I rarely do PC games. I figure since I spend all my working day at a computer and then return to it to write things like blog entries and fiction, I might as well do gaming somewhere else. Hopefully it helps with my posture? I’m always tempted to play on PC though. There are more games, and I know I’d enjoy the mods for my favorite games like Stellaris and BG3.
Thoughts
People are often surprised to find I game this much. I watch very few shows, so games like Stellaris are my source of mindless entertainment. The RPGs such as BG3 are far more immersive than most fantasy novels, and a good topic of conversation with friends who also play.
We’ll see if something knocks Stellaris off the top slot for 2024. Possible options include BG3, Rogue Trader, and Star Wars Outlaws.
What do you plan to play in 2024?
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