• Reviews - Video Games

    Why ‘Dredge’ Is the Game That Will Cure Your Gaming Slump

    August 8, 2024 - By 

    What is a gaming slump? It’s like any other slump really – a period of time where you find it difficult to enjoy a hobby, when you just can’t find the motivation to do something you ordinarily love. The worst thing about a slump is that it can come on suddenly, and there’s no telling what will get you out of it. While I know tactics vary from person to person, my personal preference is to throw myself headfirst into as many games/books/movies as possible until something kick-starts my excitement again. Which is why I find that a quick fix…

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    Books

    Why ‘Dracula’ Was the First Classic I Fell in Love With

    March 10, 2024 - By 

    I have a funny relationship with classic novels. They make up probably 80% of my bookshelf, and yet I find myself hesitating every time I open the first page of one. It’s because I’ve come to realise that ‘classic’ does not guarantee enjoyment. Yes, it usually does guarantee something well written, insightful and intellectually valuable. But that doesn’t necessarily mean I’m going to enjoy reading it. I can appreciate The Grapes of Wrath and its heartbreaking commentary on American industrialisation, while also knowing that I never want to subject myself to reading the approx. 500 page monstrosity again. When I…

  • Video Games

    I Played Bloodborne Like a Couch Co-op Game (Pass-the-Pad style) and Now I’m Convinced It’s the Only Way to Play Souls-like Games

    January 6, 2024 - By 

    I’ve avoided Soulsborne games for as long as possible. I’m not the type of person who loves a challenge and I get gamer rage very easily, so I convinced myself that watching various Let’s Players handle them was enough for me. But since moving in with my partner, we’ve been working our way through a number of your typical co-op games. I think our success must have filled us with a bigger-than-usual dose of hubris the day that we decided we were going to beat Bloodborne together. Both of us having already dabbled in only the first Dark Souls, Bloodborne…