Half of 2016 has gone by and I haven’t played a single game in my New Year’s Resolutions. Losing the 3DS has done a real number on my gaming motivation because it had all the Stuff I’m Really Excited About on it. I still have a DS, PSP, PS2 and Wii, but I’ve had them for years so I’m way past the excitement stage and well into ‘Stuff I’ve Heard About’ and ‘Stuff I’m Somewhat Curious About’ and ‘Stuff I Might Play Someday If There’s Nothing Better Available’ territory. That last category includes Summon Night 5, the only non-3DS game on the list, which also falls under ‘Stuff I Feel Obliged to Play Because a Company Went Through The Trouble of Localizing it.’ (It’s complicated between me and SN, don’t worry about it).

I hadn’t realized it until now, but it’s the Stuff I’m Really Excited About that gives me the energy and motivation to play all the other games I’m interested in. It’s like how in some companies a few low-risk, high-return products subsidize lower-return products and riskier experimental stuff. In my mind at least I always had something good to look forward to, so it didn’t matter if Random Game X sucked because Super-Mega-Hit Y would make it all better soon.

In practice the games I expected much from often let me down while I found surprise favorites in unexpected places, but it turns out the mental anticipation factor was more important that I’d given it credit for. No wonder game companies spend so much money hyping up their new releases.

Anyway, this is all a roundabout way of saying I’m still mourning the loss of the 3DS. Or more accurately I’m mourning my carelessness in losing it… or getting it stolen, not sure, either way it’s still carelessness. I WANTED TO PLAY 7TH DRAGON III!!!! But I’m not going to mope forever, just for another month or so. If I don’t find it by the end of July I’m buying another one and then we’ll be back on track. Actually I’ll be buying two other ones, one as a replacement and one for myself. Let this be a lesson to all of us that it never pays to be cheap. If you like something, buy your own! Just glad I learned this lesson before I borrowed someone’s $10,000 Cartier watch, aha aha haa…

In the meantime I’m going to whine and mope a little longer. Waah, woe is meeee, why always meeheeehee~ I am obviously the victim here even though I’m the one who damaged and then lost someone else’s handheld, boo hoo hoo. It’s not all doom and gloom, though. I’ve channeled a lot of that gaming energy into other pursuits, especially the piano. I’m finally starting to regain the form I had before I quit all those years ago, and it feels incredible. Go me! And of course I’m still dabbling in games here and there, so here’s a little update on my recent progress (or lack thereof):

Shiren the Wanderer 5: Only 3 deaths so far, but that’s because I’ve only gone on 3 more adventures. When I hit Fortune Tower proper, I discovered it features the same day-night cycle as Shiren 4 did, and I don’t know if I want to go through the stress of juggling all those skills and trying to survive all night against enemies that can OHKO you, etc etc.

It’s a good addition for people who enjoy the more intellectual side of roguelikes, i.e. not just brute forcing your way through battles but using wits, items, evasion and a lot of luck. It’s fun when you get the hang of it, but also more work than I’m willing to put in right now, so I’m taking it really slow.

Granblue Fantasy: Level 62. I’m taking it easy here as well, because I’m in it for the long haul. Currently cleaning up a few quests I hadn’t done, also enjoying beating up on Sagittarius, Vohu Manah and other Extreme bosses that wouldn’t give me the time of the day last time I tried them. Who’s your daddy now? I mean mommy. I’ll keep taking it easy till Unite and Fight at the end of the month, try to complete my fancy dagger, then go back to taking it easy again. That’s the way to play this kind of grindfest mobage without going crazy.

Sakura Taisen 3: Picked it up again after a short break. I could knock it out by the end of the week if I played it seriously, but I’ve hit the part of the game where I have to fight stronger versions of the same bosses I beat  in the first half of the game, and I’m just not feeling it. But I’ll hit the endgame if I can just push through this slow bit, so I’ll give it my best shot.

That’s it for what I’m working on. Once I clear either Shiren or ST3 from my queue I’ll feel free to start something new. Until then/until the end of the month, don’t expect much by way of updates.

Related posts:

Fuurai no Shiren 4: Kami no Hitomi to Akuma no Heso – The most playable of the lot Fuurai no Shiren DS 2 – Finished! Fuurai no Shiren DS 2 – I’m not really into postgame content Shiren the Wanderer 5 – Waiting for death