It has been about a year since I’ve written here!

I have had some wonderful experiences in the gaming world in the past year…

First of all, I finished Mass Effect 2 around Thanksgiving.

The plot of ME 2 is that Commander Shepard gets the old gang back together in order to carry out an extremely important mission…one which will probably result in the death of the entire crew even if the mission is successful. A suicide mission. As Commander Shepard recruits team members, sooner or later they work up the courage to ask her if there is something they could take care of, some unfinished business, before the final mission takes place. As Commander Shepard and her crewmates go through these experiences, they bond as a team and as friends. In my playthrough, Joan Shepard developed a close friendship with the icy perfectionist Amanda, and fell in love with Thane Krios. With Amanda forging ahead, clearing the way with her bionics, and Thane at her side, Shepard was able to get her entire team through the mission. Even Zaeed, who was not loyal, made it through.

I then moved on to Mass Effect 3.

However, I got stuck a few months in and haven’t yet returned to the Mass Effect universe. The story is very dark right now. Every planet we visit is in the process of being destroyed. Garrus is endlessly worried about his family (caught behind enemy lines) and Thane is far away, slowly dying of Kepral’s syndrome. The ship was ravaged when it was re-possessed after Commander Shepard’s court martial (long story) and looks gloomy and derelict. Exposed cables and pipes everywhere. On the plus side, it’s great to have Liara back on board, and I like the new crew members Steve Cortez and James Vega. The DLC “Leviathan” was beautiful and exciting, and I still have the DLC “The Citadel” to look forward to. I will definitely be back.

My son introduced me to Undertale.

Over Christmas break, in a massive session that lasted til 6 am, he took me through a pacifist run. (He handled the combat and I did the exploring.) What an amazing experience — excellent story, and the art and music was a big part of the emotional impact. As the final scenes rolled, I had to blink back tears. Happy tears!

During bleakest February I started Dark Souls 1.

…And all spring and summer I slogged away. Since I had literally NEVER had a game controller in my hands before, there was a steep learning curve. As of July, with the help of my son, two of his friends, and the ever-cheerful Solaire, I was able to survive Blighttown and ring the second bell. Then when I returned to Firelink Shrine, there was a very weird new character where the pond used to be. I still haven’t spoken to him. I’ve watched several play-throughs and I know what he wants.  He will send me to Sen’s Fortress, and I don’t want to go.

That was July. In August I started…No Man’s Sky.

The varied worlds of No Man’s Sky remind me of the different landscapes and environments I’ve seen in Minecraft — those wonderful, evocative landscapes of the imagination. I have been so immersed in No Man’s Sky for the past month that my Facebook friends are tired of  hearing about it.

So that’s why I’ve dusted off this blog!