What Are We All Playing This Weekend?
No surprises here
The weekend is upon us, ready thyself! I've probably linked that before, but stuff it - it's a good way to start any weekend. Me, I'll spend a lot of this weekend seeking a new place to swim outdoors (had a nice swim a reservoir last weekend, but it's not quite right), but also video games. Lots of video games. Lots of video game. Here's what we're playing this weekend, and what about you?
All those silent are assumed to be playing Metal Gear, because that's what I'd having them doing if I were a hive mind with bodies to spare.
Alec: I'm playing MGSV. Obviously I'm playing MGSV. Why would I play anything else? It's the game of forever, or at least that's what I'm saying this week. Honestly, I haven't been this in love with a game for a long, long time. It's everything Assassin's Creed and Batman and Mordor and Far Cry and all that stuff try to do, but without that nagging sense of time-wasting or compulsive completism. I am playing. Playing! Making things happen and seeing what happens. It's constantly funny. It's constantly dramatic. Sometimes it's hugely, infuriatingly, tiresomely exploitative. But mostly it's exactly what I want. I even have a petting zoo now. I'm so into this I might even pick up Peace Walker for my long-neglected Vita. But then that would interfere with playing MGSV. Hmm.
Alice: Alice, you know I'm playing Metal Gear Solid, so why are you even asking? I've reached the point where me and my buddy can tranq and Fulton entire bases without breaking a sweat, exhaust whole regions of conscious soldiers, and get back home untouched but covered in other people's blood. Maybe now we can handle some of the tricker boss fights and missions in ways other than running away.
I will also be checking in on Viridi to water my succulents because, though I really dislike how microtransactions affect a game that could be chill and calming and a break from this exciting world of commerce, I planted a pot a month ago and am a big old green-thumbed fool who hates even virtual plants dying.
Graham: I'm off work for the back half of this week so writing this in advance, but I already know what I'll be playing this weekend: more Phantom Pain. Since last Saturday I've sunk more hours into it, completing more missions, unlocking new parts of Mother Base, and finally downloading my Ground Zeroes saves so that Kojima is now a member of my team. As all the reviews said, the story is far thinner than in any other MGS game - which is a good thing in many ways, but I do find myself wishing I had more people to talk to when I head back to base. Or that Big Boss said more than three lines during the first twenty hours of the game.
Philippa: I think John has already made this confession but here's my version: I don't think I've ever actually played the game I've said I was going to play in this column. Having realised that I'm struggling to stick to a feasible choice. I could say anything. ANYTHING! Like, I'm going to play a live action version of Doom. Or I'm going to play all of Skyrim again in just 4 hours and then eat frittatas. Or I'm going to try Metal Gear again. I guess let's go with the latter, although I'm going to Google live-action Doom in case it's an option for next weekend.
But you, dearest reader, what are you playing?