As early as ten years ago, one of my favourite aspects of buying media was its tangibility. Whether I had bought a new video game, movie, or CD, I loved running my fingers over the various packaging textures and poring over the included instruction manuals and liner notes. But in this new digital era, I’m…
All posts by Stefan
A Fallout 76 Screenshot Bonanza
Against all expectations, Fallout 76 has become a gaming staple around here. I’ve been playing it almost daily for over a month now, and it’s even managed to hold my partner’s interest for a similar amount of time. That’s especially impressive given the massive amount of choices one has for entertainment these days. My partner and…
COVID-19: One Week Post-Vaccination
A week ago, medical personnel herded me onto a systematized medical floor and into a small stall. There, I sat in a neat row amongst other fellow residents of my city. And one by one, we were each inoculated like cattle. It was my second dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. So, in a few weeks,…
Fallout 76 is Unexpectedly Delightful
I distinctly remember the vortex of emotions I experienced when Bethesda revealed Fallout 76 back in 2018. The gameplay trailer, which showcased an idyllic golden Appalachian landscape littered with all manner of creatures and mutated biomes, left an unmistakably good impression. But as a multiplayer title, how would the game play? Fallout 4 had been…
Game Pass Could Be a Death Blow to the MMO Subscription Model
I recently claimed a free month of Microsoft’s Game Pass service to check out Fallout 76. For the uninitiated, Game Pass is essentially “Netflix” for video games. It offers unrestricted access to dozens of games at a low monthly cost ($12.99 CAD). After activating the Game Pass trial, I proceeded to go about my merry way…
Proud, Unexpected Owner of a French-Canadian MacBook Air
I recently purchased a 2020 M1 MacBook Air to replace my ageing 2012 Retina MacBook Pro. But in an amusing twist of fate, I somehow misclicked during the online ordering process. And unfortunately, as I would come to discover about a week later, that misclick would have drastic repercussions. For me, opening a new Apple…
The Strange Allure of Browser Text-Based Games
If you went back in time and told my teenage self that I’d be enthralled by a text-based online game in 2021, he’d be miffed. “Whoa, you have two new DOOM games in 2021! What’s that Half-Life VR game like? Has he played that? Wait, what did you say? He’s mainly been playing a browser game?…
Happy Father’s Day 2021, Dad
There’s a difference between a good Dad and a cool Dad, and the two are often mutually exclusive. But I’m lucky to have one that’s both. Even from a young age, I knew I had a good Dad. He was supportive, nurturing, attentive: Everything a loving Dad should be. But beyond bringing me into this…
9 Years of Backloggery
Back in 2012, I took the first step and admitted I had a problem. I couldn’t be in denial any longer: My video game backlog had grown out of control. Thanks to Steam sales and Craigslist thrifting, I had amassed more games than I’d ever be able to finish. Rather than feel a sense of…
Suicide is a Human Right
After I attempted to take my life, I spent five long weeks in the hospital, eagerly awaiting my return home. Eventually, I was discharged by the hospital’s mental health facility. But I wasn’t quite free. Instead, I was released on “Extended Leave” under British Columbia’s Mental Health Act. This act gives the government the authority…