Tag Archives: Gaming is a Gift 2023

Digital Playground

2023 PC Game of the Year

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Introduction

Unlike last week, I skipped the contenders article this week. Because, honestly, I only played two PC games with any regularity this year and I wrote about them on Monday. So, anyone paying attention this year knows what game we chose as our 2023 PC Game of the Year.

So, with no suspense to the pick, I need to come up with another format for this article. I recently started using ChatGPT for help with my web page and other tasks. I just asked it for dinner ideas for today and tomorrow. It came up with stir fry and teriyaki salmon. My family isn’t fond of salmon, so it suggested chicken instead. Then, too much teriyaki. So, it came up with lemon herb. Pretty sweet.

The Criteria in Picking the Winner

Unlike mobile, I only played the aforementioned two PC Titles; Train Sim World 3 and Euro Truck Simulator 2. Therefore, the only criteria in this competition is “I played the game”. In that spirit, I played Euro Truck simulator way more than Train Sim World. There was a time that I drove at least 2 or 3 jobs every Saturday and Sunday.

Also, as mentioned in my mobile game of the year article, I said that the only other criteria for a game is the difficult to define, and therefore impossible to argue, fun factor. Both games are fun. But, the freedom of driving the truck makes that game more fun. Touring Europe and discovering new sights makes me feel like I’m back over there.

Euro Truck Simulator 2

Yes, in the least suspenseful announcement, perhaps ever, on this page is that Euro Truck Simulator 2 by SCS Software is our 2023 PC Game of the Year. Even though it wins by default, I can envision a world in which it wins over competition, too. Let’s explore why.

  1. Radio Stations: The game features a variety of radio stations that you can play while driving your truck. I always choose Austrian Rock Radio. It plays hard rock and heavy metal. The ambiance makes me feel like I’m actually out there on the road.
  2. Customization: The game lets you customize nearly everything. The obvious is that once you buy your truck, you can change up the look and feel of it. You can also choose how you progress in your career by picking various specialties that determine bonuses that you receive on deliveries.
  3. Overall Variety: Along those same lines, they offer different employers and jobs that you can take. While not necessary to the overall enjoyment of the game, I like that they added that little bit of realism. Oh, what am I delivering today? Olives? Construction Equipment? Boxes for recycling? I just recently discovered another way that they allow you to create your own game experience. When you hire drivers, they come with different skills. I have two employees and I agonized over the decision both times. I think, ultimately, I made the right decision.
  4. Realistic Scenery: While they obviously have to scale down the countries in size (who wants to actually spend an entire day driving a pretend truck?), they do a good job of capturing the countryside of the countries. I only have experience in Germany, Austria, and Czechia. However, those countries look exactly as I remember them.
  5. Become an entrepreneur: I bought my second truck and hired my first worker by taking every job near or over 20,000. I saved for several weeks until I had enough for both. This plan included a night of reckless driving that saw me total my truck and rack up 50,000 in debt that the bank threatened me with foreclosure over. When I hired my second worker and bought my third truck, I took out a loan just to see what that process involved. Like everything else, how you run your company is up to you.

Game Play Videos

Since I got so busy over the last few months, I have no game play videos to share. I have only a screenshot of Allianz that I used in my previous article to illustrate the realistic scenery.

I mean, I know there are other game play videos out there. But, in the interest of featuring our own content, I will take some time over the next few days to record a couple of my own that I will upload and link on the page. Look for those in the coming week.

The Verdict

While not a busy PC gaming year and the 2023 PC game of the year being a foregone conclusion, I think I made the argument that due to the quality of the game and also some recent nostalgia, that Euro Truck Simulator 2 deserves the title. Hopefully next year, and a renewed commitment to video content will make next year more contested.

Digital Playground

PC Gaming is a Gift 2023

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Introduction

You may notice the word “console” missing from the title PC Gaming is a Gift 2023. This year saw several things happen that explain that omission. First, Aiden tried to fix the XBox by soldering the HDMI port back in and ended up soldering through the motherboard. Second, I never got around to buying a PS5 as I planned. We really want to play both Spider-Man games. I also wanted to play MK1. Neither of those happened because I came to my senses and decided to wait until a price drop for the purchase. Finally, we played almost no Mario Kart this year. Liam, Quinn, my brother Tim, and I played some of the new Mario game.

However, I fixed my old gaming laptop. The charging port broke a couple of years ago. I did some research to see how tough it might be to fix it. Turns out, not difficult at all. The hardest part was that because it’s a laptop, everything it jammed in there. So, it took some finesse to fit it in properly. Other than that, though, no problem.

Train Sim World 3

One of the reasons I wanted to fix the laptop was I remembered a Humble Bundle that I purchased several years ago. It contained a train simulator game. I don’t remember the original reason I wanted to play the train sim game. However, going to Germany and seeing first hand the famous European rail system sparked something inside of me. I came home with a new appreciation for the game.

That appreciation lasted for a few months. Then, I discovered another simulation game that caught my attention. When asked the other day by one of my classes what my favorite genre of game was, I had to admit that right now I’m obsessed with simulation games. They made the usual comment that people made (in jest), “Oh, you want to play a game of something you can do in real life?” Well, not quite. I’ve never driven a train.

Euro Truck Simulator 2

I also never drove a tractor trailer through the countryside of Europe. I drove a mid size SUV through Germany. So, when I saw this game, it took me back to that trip and time. I saw things that reminded me of being in Germany. And, so, the game became like a cozy blankie for me.

I played the hell out of the game. Started in Munich and branched out slowly to the neighboring countries. Eventually, I drove across the continent, took a ferry to the UK and drove into England and Scotland. After going back to school, I got busy and neglected the game for some time. I just said to my family the other day, “I haven’t driven my truck in a while. My employees probably think I’m dead.”

The Verdict

Truly, PC gaming is a gift 2023. I also flirted again with World of Warcraft, especially after the announcement of the next series of expansions. I saw the advancement of a plan that I came up with decades ago. The USFL of the 1980s is back through my USFL Distant Replay page. We are 12 weeks into the 1984 season and looking to bring some big things for 1985 in a couple of months. Join us over there for more.

Digital Playground

2023 Mobile Game of the Year

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Introduction

We wrote some words a few days ago about the contenders for the title this year. While familiar, none of them are any less deserving of the title of 2023 Mobile Game of the Year.Actually, let me tell you a possibly funny story about why all of the games are familiar.

In my Financial Algebra class, while they worked (and some didn’t work), I reflected on the mobile games I played. I offhandedly asked the class, “Does anyone know of any good mobile games?” One student answered quickly, “No. All of them are garbage.” I replied, “I just play the games that aren’t really mobile, but have been ported like Magic the Gathering and Hearthstone.” Another made a face and we talked for the last 15 minutes of class about games. Okay, maybe not hilarious, but I laughed when he, without hesitation, declared every mobile game as trash.

My Criteria in Picking the Winner

Before I reveal the worst kept secret until next week when I write another set of these articles for PC Games, let me write a little to pump up the legitimacy of this page a little bit. You need to know the criteria that I used to pick the game.

Genuinely, the only criteria that I use is the personal and hard to define “fun”. Obviously what’s fun to one person is not fun to another. But, honestly, I can’t use things like graphics because all card games use the same basic graphics template. I could use sound because they take different tact in their use of sound. But, most of the time I play without sound, so I have little to no data for that criteria.

Variety of game modes just came to me as I wrote. In that area, the winner wins without question. Both Magic the Gathering Arena and Marvel SNAP offer differing game modes. But, ultimately, they both boil down to different versions of the same game. Slightly different rules or standards, but just playing cards. Hearthstone gives you Battlegrounds at the top of the list and a variety of other dead or nearly dead modes that they tried.

Silly and Stupid Hearthstone

I started to post with more regularity to the YouTube channel for the page. With that new commitment, I uploaded a couple of Hearthstone videos that I thought were fun.

Speaking of dead game modes, the first video comes in the recently deceased Mercenaries mode. I started playing the mode earlier in the year and enjoyed it. Then, of course, came the announcement that Blizzard killed the mode. Oh well. Enjoy the video. Note: This came before I shortened the introduction, so the video starts about 20 seconds in. You live, you learn.

My favorite game mode, by far, is the Battlegrounds. I’ve been playing it since it first released. I can’t remember if I got early access or not. I also can’t 100% explain the appeal. It’s just fun.

The Verdict

Yes, my 2023 mobile game of the year is Hearthstone. It’s not always fun. In fact, I hate the game more than I love it. But, when it’s fun, it’s really fun. And, they know just how to keep me coming back for more with rewards tracks, special events, and Twitch giveaways. Congratulations, Blizzard, the award is well deserved.

Digital Playground

2023 Mobile Game of the Year Contenders

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Introduction

I searched earlier in the week back to last year to see if I wrote preview articles for the new year. I did, but I wrote them in January as part of “New Year, New Games”. Next year, our 10th, the theme is “New Decade, New Games”, so I the previews come then. Therefore, I needed a Wednesday article for my look back series. Enter 2023 Mobile Game of the Year Contenders.

This article almost makes us look official like. While merely a web page run essentially by two guys as a hobby, I like to dip my toe into the professional writing scene every now and then. So, while I already picked the mobile game of the year for this year, I can pretend for the sake of this article.

Candy Crush/Soda Saga

I played these games regularly several years ago. I worked ridiculous hours and spent what down time I had with the games on my phone. For whatever reason, even though I enjoy Magic the Gathering and Marvel more, I played these match 3 games and spent more money that I’m comfortable admitting on boosters and extended levels.

More recently, I picked both games up again. I spend less time with some of the other games that I like. Plus, I can’t find a new time sink that satisfies me the same as these games. So, I’m back to logging in on a daily basis to try to finish the next level. Once in a while, I get inspired to keep playing for a streak or other bonus.

Hearthstone

Likewise, I spent a good amount of time on this game at the beginning of the year. Mostly, I played Battlegrounds, but I always tried to finish quests in the main mode, too, in order to advance on the rewards track. Over the last few months, as I mentioned, I spent less time playing. I finished the Battlegrounds rewards track pretty early this time and they only recently released a new one. So, I might find some recency bias and choose Hearthstone as my game of the year. Hey, there’s precedent. I picked Marvel SNAP last year in spite of only having played it for a couple of months.

Magic the Gathering Arena

In spite of my recent decrease in play time, I still play MTGA as often as ever. I found a new joy with the game through my play group with Chris and Jason, so I use the game as a way to keep my brain and plays fresh during the in between times. They also offer cool midweek Magic events to get packs and other cosmetics. This week they introduce the new “Vintage” format for the game, Timeless. I tried to make a deck but didn’t have all of the cards or wild cards. So, I just submitted my elf tribal deck.

Marvel SNAP

As mentioned, Marvel SNAP won game of the year last year in spite of the fact that it took me several months to play the game. I probably played it more this year than many other games. My play time might not be as great as MTGA or Hearthstone, but that’s only because games only take 3-5 minutes tops to finish. Though, I recently discovered Conquest mode and I’m trying to get the Hellfire Gala Thor variant from that.

The Verdict

You get the true verdict for the 2023 Mobile Game of the Year Contenders on Friday. We here at 2 Generations Gaming already know the results. But, unlike much of what we do here, we promise no spoilers for this one. Come back Friday to find out.