Non-2020 Gaming in 2020

I have been writing the Highlights and Disappointments features as annual projects since 2015, and for the past 2 or 3 years I have been grappling with a weakness of the format I’ve chosen: That I have only ever counted full retail releases that have occurred in the year of a given piece. Occasionally, I’ll fudge it with justifications like a new Yakuza or Ace Attorney game hooking me into the rest of the games in the franchise, but I’ve always stuck to that general rule.

And thus, I decided after writing up the pieces last year that I would do something more this time. Often, people who play the sheer volume of games that I do will go back to titles that came out in prior years, but either came out at a bad time or otherwise got lost in the shuffle at the time of release. Or maybe there was an update that added a cool new feature. Hell, maybe it just had a positive impact on us still after the discourse™ had settled down.

I wanted a space to talk about those games, and so I decided to create one. Here’s to the games that I played in 2020, but weren’t released in 2020.

Starting with:

Quantum Leap - Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time - Part 2

Dr. Cortex and Dr. N Trophy are still ripping space-time apart as they work tirelessly to achieve their plans and enact revenge. With two of the quantum masks accounted for, and two more to acquire before we can mend the rifts, our journey continues.

It's About Time.

In League with the Legends - Nox Ezreal

It's been some time since we've played some Constructed in Runeterra on stream, so I figured it would be good to dive back and play some of the newer decks that have been making the rounds since we last give it a whirl.

We seem to have picked a good time too. Since new champions have just been released into the wild, people will probably be experimenting with new decks and brews.

For now though, let's return with a new take on an old favorite: Ezreal, courtesy of Mobalytics.

Deck code: CECAOAIEAENR6JBGGQ5ACAQDBEBQCAYUFY3QCAYECEAQEAIDCYZQA

The Highlights and Disappointments of 2020

It’s that time once more, for us to reflect on the year and think about how we can do better in the year to come. Obviously, I don’t need to tell anyone reading this that 2020 hasn’t been great, but that doesn’t mean good games didn’t come out. Pickings are slightly slimmer than they would be in a normal year. And yet, what did come out was generally strong on its own merits.

As a reminder, just because a game doesn’t show up on this list doesn’t mean it’s bad. It’s possible that either I missed it or that it didn’t leave a strong enough impression on me to talk about. So without further ado, and presented in a random order, my highlights of 2020 are:

Quantum Leap - Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time - Part 1

I can't think of a more appropriate subtitle for this game than "It's About Time". Discounting the recent remake via the N Sane Trilogy, and the Nitro-Fueled version of Crash Team Racing, the last Crash Bandicoot game to come out was Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 2 for mobile phones in 2010. If we further remove mobile games from the equation, that would be Mind Over Mutant back in 2008.

Either way, it's been over a decade since the orange marsupial has had his time in the limelight. I and many other fans, for the longest time, assumed that the franchise had been fully abandoned by Bobby Kotick and our Activision overlords. While the N Sane Trilogy rekindled the hope of seeing the symbol of our childhood once more, it wasn't until this game was announced back in June that we were able to truly celebrate his triumphant return.

And frankly, I've waited long enough to talk about it on stream.

A Quick Run - Plague Inc: Evolved

Obviously, this year has been defined by the outbreak of a deadly disease which keeps many of us quarantined and many more terrified that we're going to kill our loved ones by going to work and contracting something that'll spread to them.

So what better way to deal with our fears than by facing them head on, playing as a contagion aiming to eliminate the human population. That's right: We're playing Plague Inc.: Evolved.

Halo 2 - Fall, to Rise - A Blind Playthrough - Finale

That's right, everyone. We've reached the legendary cliffhanger that took 3 years and an entire console generation to resolve. Even people like me, who didn't play the Halo campaigns growing up, knew about "finishing this fight".

But of course, the journey is more important than the destination. So join us as we try to stop the Covenant from making a terrible mistake.

In League with the Legends - Expeditions

When it comes to card games, I tend to latch heavily onto Constructed formats, where players can build decks out of a specific pool of cards designated by the format in question. It suits my style better, allowing me to take the time to do research on what the most popular decks are and either netdeck or use them as inspiration to create my own recipes. It brings me a certain joy to analyze the trends and see how decks new and old fair as cards are brought in or removed from legal play.

But any card game player knows that Constructed formats are only one way to engage, the other being Limited formats. Rather than come into a game with a deck build ahead of time, Limited formats require players to improvise and built decks based on what they pick from a random or semi-random selection of cards. Drafting is one of the most common variants, opening a pack, picking one card from it, and passing it to the next player in rotation so that they can make their own pick.

So instead of coming at you with another set of decks to try, this time I thought it might be fun to check out Legends of Runeterra's equivalent of a booster draft, called Expeditions. Let's build our own deck and see how well it holds up.

Halo 2 - Fall, to Rise - A Blind Playthrough - Part 3

The race for the Index/Icon has officially begun, as Humanity and the Covenant compete over the fate of the next Halo ring. Both factions understand that the fate of what is likely the entire universe is at stake, but only one of them has full knowledge of the situation.

Let's find out what happens when their champions meet for the first time, real life sickness be damned.

Halo 2 - Fall, to Rise - A Blind Playthrough - Part 2

Our fight continues, as the Master Chief and the Arbiter both continue their respective campaigns, each doing what they believe to be best from their perspective. The war between Humanity and the Covenant rages around them.

With a new Halo ring in play, how will both champions of their people react to the efforts of the other.

A Quick Run - Armello

One of the simple pleasures that has been denied by the Covid-19 pandemic has been that of getting a group of friends together to play a board game. Obviously, there is no proper substitute for in-person play with friends and family. That said, apps like Tabletop Simulator do a good job satisfying that itch as best as can be.

Another potential salve are virtual board games that invoke the feeling of tabletop, while still leveraging the medium to do things that are extremely difficult, if not impossible, to pull off in a pure tabletop setting. Alongside my old friend Chris, we play one such board game: Armello.

The king has fallen to rot and corruption, and his days are numbered. We can't save him, nor would we want to. Instead, it's time to see who will fill the vacuum of power, ascending to the throne.

Halo 2 - Fall, to Rise - A Blind Playthrough - Part 1

After a hard fought campaign against the forces of the Covenant, the Flood that our conflict had unwittingly unleashed, and the mechanical guardians created to genocide all organic life, we managed to escape alongside the Master Chief.

Now, our brief reprieve in the small, scenic town of Little Hope has come to end, and it's time we returned to the frontlines of battle. Earth, and humanity, are once again under attack, and once again the Master Chief stands as a bulwark again the incoming threat.

Welcome to Halo 2.

A Quick Run - Pumpkin Jack

It is often lamented that the state of the game industry at large tends to crowd out the kind of low-budget, mid-tier platformers that were commonplace in the PlayStation 1 era. For every Crash Bandicoot or Spyro the Dragon, there was a Jersey Devil or some other such game that, while not the pinnacle of its genre, was entertaining enough to hold its own in the annals of gaming history.

As it so happens, I was in the mood for one such game when my good friend Chris, of the Marvelous/Dark Duo fame, gave me a copy of Pumpkin Jack. I was intrigued enough by it that I wanted to show it off for a bit on my Wednesday stream.

It's exactly what I was hoping for. Not perfect, but good enough to satisfy the itching I had for a mid-tier platforming game.

The Dark Duo - Little Hope - Part 2

Like moths to the flame, Acharky and I return to the horrors of Little Hope to unravel the mysteries at the heart of a town seeped in tragedy and sin. Are we doomed to forever live and relive the haunted past, or can we finally let the dearly departed rest in peace?

We all have our demons. And if we don't confront them, we risk losing ourselves to them.

A Quick Run - Griftlands

Though I don't purchase, or even necessarily like, all of their games, I always have my eye on Klei Entertainment. They have a unique affinity for looking at a genre, taking the core aspects of it, and refining it to something that is both extremely approachable and mechanically deep. From the excellent stealth game Mark of the Ninja to the survival-based Don't Starve (Together), and turn-based Invisible Inc, all of them are completely distinct from one another, but they all carved their niches out in their respective genres.

So when I heard they were making a deck-building roguelike... Well, I was intrigued.

In League with the Legends - Lee Targon's Warmother

Eventually, after so long without streaming any card games, the itch eventually needs to be scratched, at least for someone like me. And there's no better time than now to return to the world of Runeterra, which the latest update providing new cards, champions, and strategies to experiment with.

On top of that, there appears to be a new event on offer with regards to a pop stars in the League of Legends lore that I have absolutely no familiarity with whatsoever. I've sure someone will explain it to me at some point.

As always, the deck lists I play with come courtesy of Mobalytics. The decklist import codes are:

• Warmother:
• CICACAYFAIBAGAICAYBQCBIBDUUAKAIBBQLSCJZJAEBQCBIPDE3ACAIBAE2A
  
• Lee Targon:
• CIBQEAICBEYQGAQCAMDASBQDBENSGKJTLRRAGAICAIEACAYCCQAQGCKVAEAQEAQF
  

The Dark Duo - Little Hope - Part 1

The spooky times are upon us once more, and there's no better time for a big frighten than now. Supermassive Games, creators of both Until Dawn and last year's The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan have taken it upon themselves to release a new chapter in their ongoing series. The Curator has returned with a new story that we are to conduct.

Welcome to Little Hope. Joining me as he did in our last outing at the Man of Medan is my old friend Acharky. The Dark Duo is back, and this time it appears that the mystery is not as cut and dry our seafaring adventure prior.

Running Through Hell - Hades - Run 3

What can I say? This game has been on my mind a lot lately, and my Wednesday stream seemed to be the perfect excuse to go for another run.

Prince Zagreus is ever eager to break out of his lord father's domain, and I'm ever eager to aid with on the way.

(A warning: As I had beaten the game prior to playing this session, there may be spoilers.)

Halo: Combat Evolved - First Drop - A Blind Playthrough - Finale

It is difficult to describe how irrationally excited I was to stream this, not just because it was time for me to finish up my first playthrough of Halo: Combat Evolved. As many of you may know, my job requires me to spend about a week every month acting as the on-call support, meaning that I can't stream on those weeks since I may have to end the stream at any moment.

Recently, we got some hires that log in at around 8-8:30 PM EST, which means that I now have these Sunday nights to myself. And though I can't stream at the usual time, I can start an hour late and still do the thing I love doing on my Sunday nights.

I cannot express how happy I am to no longer have to cancel streams on weeks I'm on-call, but I can absolutely give the Covenant, the Flood, and that evil little robot a thrashing they won't soon forget.

Thumbnail, as always, is from Sam Callahan.

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Halo: Combat Evolved - First Drop - A Blind Playthrough - Part 3

We continue our fight against the Covenant alongside the Master Chief. As it turns out, Halo isn't a superweapon that we can use to wipe them out. Rather, it appears to be the prison for a race of parasitic monsters known as The Flood.

Military Commanders... Always leaping before they look.

Now we've got to clean up their mess.

Thumbnail, as always, provided by Sam Callahan.

Halo: Combat Evolved - First Drop - A Blind Playthrough - Part 2

The plot thickens on our first mission with the Master Chief. Where we saw a simple weapon with the potential to terrify and/or eliminate the Covenant, the truth was so much more sinister. Our military leaders, such is their wont in their endless hubris, unleashed and awakened sinister forces that threaten all life.

Thankfully, we're here to see if we can clean up the mess and stop The Flood from spiraling out of control.

And as always, thanks go to Sam Callahan for the thumbnail.

A Quick Run - Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2

So here I am, doin' everythin' I can.
Holdin' onto what I am.
Pretendin' I'mma Superman.

That's right. We're going back to a old classic. Pretty much every person in my age bracket grew up with the Tony Hawk Pro Skater games, and I am no exception. That franchise almost single-handedly created a boom for the skateboarding community, and it's easy to see why that would be the case.

Halo: Combat Evolved - First Drop - A Blind Playthrough - Part 1

With the closure of one series, it's time to start another. And just like before, this one harkens back to a by-gone age in video game history. Though I have no experience with the Halo campaigns, I've obviously played my fair share of their multiplayer modes at the houses of various friends from my childhood. Additionally, I've played many console shooters, all of whom trace their DNA, in some way, back to Halo.

This is a series that's been on my list for a long-time now, and I can think of no better way to run these games than on stream for everyone to watch. Naturally, since I'm running this campaign for the first time, I'm going so blind.

Join me on the new adventure with the Master Chef.

Thumbnail by Sam Callahan.

In League with the Legends - Journey to the Peaks

Welcome back to the lands of Runeterra, where it's time to conduct another experiment in The Lab. This one is unique, in that it is an entirely single player experience. Two of our newest champions, Leona and Diana, are looking to reach the peak of Targon to face Aurelion Sol. Along the way, they'll each face obstacles and enemies barring their path.

Let us help these champions complete their journey.

Juiced Up - Crash Team Racing - Finale

For the fourth time, our adventures with the blunder from down under have come to an end. Although the odds are that we'll eventually return to the series once the new Crash game comes out, and It's About Time, for now we can close the book on the bandicoot.

And of course, there are no drivers more fitting to end this series than the titular protagonist. Since we're on the PS4, we also have access to the old-school, retro version of him. Truly, there is no better way to go back to where it all began. My co-host Acharky even agrees with me.

A Quick Run - Hades - Post Release

It's been quite some time since our last foray through the Greek Underworld with the handsome and kind Prince Zagreus. Back then, the game was still incomplete, even if all of the stages, including the final boss, were ready and waiting for anyone who could brave through a full run.

And yet, much has been tweak, added, or adjusted between then and now. Additionally, the game has a proper ending for players to experience when they finally succeed. Join us, as we take this opportunity to take a few Quick Runs through what has become one of my favorite rougelikes from the past few years, and possibly my favorite game from Supergiant to date.

Making Magic in the Arena - Dimir Rogues

It's that time of year again. The Ravnica sets, including War of the Spark, and Core Set 2020 are out, and Zendikar Rising is now in. That's right: Standard Rotation has occurred. And though many powerful spells have left, still many more remain.

Having said that, it's also time to beginning experimenting with new decks for this bold new frontier. And while I'm not convinced it's the most powerful deck in the rotation with four-color Omnath out in the wilds, seeing a viable Rogue tribal deck coming together, and in my favorite two-color combination, how I could possibly play anything else.

That's right. It's time to play Dimir Rogues!

Commander Night Playback - Zendikar Rising Legends Night

Now that Zendikar Rising has officially released, a new set of legendary creatures has been released upon us for our amusement. And naturally, that meant it was a good time to have a theme night. Each of us built a deck based around one of these new legends, similar to how we had our Ravnican Guild Night a few weeks prior.

Just as before, we each rolled for the order we got to choose our commanders. While I didn't go first, I did get the commander I was most interested in. Oddly enough, the creature that stood out most to me as an interesting build around was Akiri, Fearless Voyager. Obviously, the deck focused on the use of equipment to power up and protect my creatures.

The other players chose Yasharn, Implacable Earth, Grakmaw, Skyclave Ravager, Charix, the Raging Isle, and, of course, Omnath, Locus of Creation.

Juiced Up - Crash Team Racing - Part 3

Our favorite little dragon had to retire back to the Dragon Realms: Something about Gnasty Gnorc coming back for the umpteenth time. Nonetheless, Team Newdarkcloud still needs a new driver to continue our efforts to win the right to face Oxide for the fate of the planet.

Fortunately for both myself and my Marvelous Duo cohort, Acharky, we had another lined up for just such an occasion. Everyone's favorite unreasonably muscular, top-heavy gladiator, Tiny Tiger, is ready to represent!

Commander Night Playback - A Most Perplexing Commander

Most of the commanders you'll see played against you in a match have an obvious direction or set of directions the deck could go: A Yuriko deck is probably going to swarm the table with unblockable ninjas. A Teysa Karlov deck is likely to have some token element and some aristocrats element to out-value the rest of the table. A Korvold deck is going to end your friendship with its pilot. Whatever the case, it's easy to see what it's trying to do.

Other commanders require a little more thought in how they operate. Such was the commander I opted to run at the head of my deck in this last round: Mishra, Artificer Prodigy. I didn't get to show off just what kind of tricks can be pulled with him in this game, playing one of the most fair matches I have ever played. That said, I need you to trust me when I say that despite how the text reads, there are tricks one can pull with him in EDH. Hopefully, I'll be able to show off some of those tricks in the future.

Naturally, my opponents had ploys of their own. One of them was recently enchanted by Homura, Human Ascendant, and opted to build a mono-red deck utilizing him. My fellow graveyard-loving compatriot brought Kathril, Aspect Warper to the board. And last, but not least, the Melek, Izzet Paragon player from before was continuing to break in the deck and grow more comfortable with it.

Dragon Your Feet - Spyro Team Racing - Part 2

Move over, bandicoot! A new protagonist has seen fit to take the reigns. You could even say that he intends to reignite the race track and set the competition alight. That's right: Everyone's favorite purple dragon has made his way into a crossover than my childhood self could only dream of.

But I tire of dragon my feet. This week, let us continue our adventures in CrashSpyro Team Racing.

Making Magic in the Arena - Temur Elementals

The best side-effect of the recent bans that we talked about the last time we entered the Arena was that it forced experimentation and cracked open a standard that had remained pitifully stagnant despite the influx of new cards from Core Set 2021.

As a result, we're seeing decks that just didn't get played enough due to the homogeneity of the pre-ban environment, like Izzet Tempo and Control decks that actually run counter spells. But we're not here to talk about those decks today. 

Rather, I chose to focus on this rad Temur Elemental concept that's been making the rounds. The elemental-tribal package isn't going to be in Standard for long, since Zendikar Rising is due to come out soon. But since the tools are all here, let's enjoy the moment and play with them while we still can.

Magic the Gathering - Commander Night Playback - Mill Wins (Sometimes)

Recently, EDHREC added a new page to their website, detailing the most common and popular combos in the format. And, naturally, as one does when exposed to a new resource of valuable information, I perused it.

Two particular combos, both in Dimir colors, caught my attention, because they resulted in a victory via infinite mill. As someone who loves alternate win conditions (I ran Exodia in my old YuGiOh days), mill is always a strategy that holds my attention. Armed with this knowledge, my reptile brain immediately set to work building a mill deck that I could bring to bear against my Cockatrice playgroups.

To do so, I must of course worship at the altar of Phenax, God of Deception. Answering my prayers, the god jumped to the helm of my deck to help lead my forces into their unconventional battle.

The first of my adversaries ran Heliod, Sun-Crowned. Next, the player who ran Rakdos, Lord of Riots during the Ravnican Guild Night opted to pilot the deck again since he enjoyed running it last time. And finally, Bruna, Light of Alabaster brought up the rear.

Juiced Up - Crash Team Racing - Part 1

Start your engines, ladies and gentlemen. We're getting started with a new adventure starring the orange blunder from down under: Crash Bandicoot. Only this time, rather that scaling walls and leaping over bottomless pits, we're dodging missiles and bombs as we out-drive and outwit our competition on the race track.

I know I said we were done with PS1 nostalgia when we completed Crash Bandicoot: Warped, but I lied. Fortunately, I'm (mostly) not alone. Once he was finished watching Netflix, my good pal Acharky deigned to join us for these little go-karting escapades.

Adventures on the Pride - Furry Edition

It's been over a year since we last adventured upon the high seas. Rusty I may be, the ocean nonetheless calls to me. And I was not the only one to hear the call. The crew may be different (and fuzzier) than before, but no less prideful. 

The SS Pride is no worse for wear. Hoist the Rainbow flag and shove off for fortune and glory!

Magic the Gathering - Commander Night Playback - Ravnica Guild Night

A good way to spice up a Commander playgroup is to run a theme night to force everyone out of their comfort zone in some way. When someone in my Tuesday night crew ran the idea by the rest of us, we were all enthusiastically on board. Voting on a list of options, we unanimously chose a Ravnican Guild Wars night.

Each of us rolled a die, and from highest to lowest roll we chose which guild we would represent. The rules were that our commander had to be in the color combination of the two-color guild. Additionally, it must also be a legendary creature from one of the Ravnica blocks. (Ravnica, Return of Ravnica, and Guilds of Ravnica)

• The high roller chose Orzhov, with Teysa Karlov leading his deck.
  
  
• I was the next to pick with Golgari, and while I was torn between Savra, Queen of the Golgari, and Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord, I ultimately chose Savra because I didn't see as many decks built around her as I did with Jarad, and I didn't want to build a combo deck.
  
  
• The third player in line went with Simic, and specifically Vorel of the Hull Clade.
  
  
• Izzet was selected afterward, represented by Melek, Izzet Paragon.
  
  
• Last, but certainly not least (that would be the Azorius), we have the Rakdos guild, with their eponymous guildmaster at the helm.

Mind Games - Prey (2017) - Finale

At last, the Mind Games have reached their conclusion, and it's time for Mathias and I to enter the endgame. The choices we make will determine the fate of both Talos 1 and it's crew, and we must consider the consequences of our actions.

Or do we? Maybe there's more to what's going on then we can see.

As always, thanks to Sam Callahan for working on the thumbnails for this one.

In League with the Legends - Quick Draw

It's been almost a month since we've been to the world of Runeterra, and last time we were in the Lab experimenting with ASM... ARAM. This time, we have another new mode to tinker with in the Lab, this time called Quick Draw.

Let us test our luck and skill at improvising with the fleeting hand and limited mana at our disposal. Can we rise above our opponents with quick thinking and finesse, or will they be the ones standing when the dust settles?

Magic the Gathering - Commander Night Playback - Killing Your Own Forces for Fun and Profit

Another week, another couple of rounds of Commander with my playgroups. Yes, you read that correctly.

One of my friends who used to be in the first playgroup but needed to drop out for his new job started up another one with a few others at a time better suited to his schedule. After awhile, I was invited to join the group, and I did so gladly.

Of course, that also gives me more material for this series. I won't go into every match I ever play. That said, as long as my stamina is up for it, I'll write with about those matches that just need to be saved for the record books.

With my new Tuesday group, I brought out a new version of my Syr Konrad list, removing the Mindcrank combo from last time and adding in a density of creatures to get more triggers of his ability. The other players were running Xantcha, Sleeper Agent, the Gitrog Monster, and Heliod, Sun-Crowned.

Mind Games - Prey (2017) - Part 4

Welcome to another chapter of the Mind Games, as my friend Mathias and I continue our adventures inside Talos 1.

Today, we use Danielle Sho's intense loathing of our brother to unlock the road to Deep Storage, arming ourselves before we blast off into the Cargo Bay before running down to the Life Support to turn the entire station off and turn it back on.

Along the way, we encounter many of the survivors left on the station, making tough choices(tm)(C)(R) that will impact both them and our remaining time on Talos 1.

And as always, thank to Sam Callahan for his work on the thumbnails for this series.

Making Magic in the Arena - Orzhov Yorion

It's been a while since we've engaged with the Standard meta-game here in MTG Arena. To be honest, I'd been growing bored and disinterested since it seemed like nothing even the release of Core Set 2021 did anything to shake up or otherwise change the kind of decks being played. It was still mostly Bant/Sultai Ramp, with Temur Reclamation and Mono-Red Aggro trailing right behind, just as it's been for months now.

That all changed thanks to the recent update, banning a number of key cards that forced most of those decks out to make way for new archetypes to take the stage, while we still have the cards from the Ravnica sets and Core Set 2020 to make use of.

You can find the decklist here. 

  

Mind Games - Prey (2017) - Part 3

Once more, we step into a mind game. And once more, my good friend Mathias is joining me for the adventure.

After a brief adventure in the G.U.T.S. of Talos 1, we explore the Arboretum, including "Jupiter's palace at the top of the heavens" and the greenhouse where the staff have more urgent things on their mind. Then, we explore the Crew Quarters to participate in a good tabletop role playing session while eating shockingly bad food from the station's kitchen staff.

We also manage to beat the game... -ish.

Thanks again to Sam Callahan for his work on the thumbnails for the series.

A Quick Run - Hand of Fate 2

Lately, I've been burned ever so slightly by both Legends of Runeterra and MTG Arena, but for different reasons. As I was looking for something to play instead, a friend of mine on Twitter started asking about games to play with Twitch integration. Some of the games that came to mind were ones I've already played on stream, like Slay the Spire and Dead Cells, but there was one that I remembered loving, but forgot had Twitch integration.

While I've talked about Hand of Fate a few times on the old Texture Pop podcast, I've never actually showed off either the original game or it's sequel. And since the sequel allows for viewer participation, it seemed like a good idea.

(Apologies for the abysmal audio balancing on this video. I have no excuse for this one, and I should have seen how loud it was while recording.)

Magic the Gathering - Commander Night Playback - Take One Down and Pass It Around

Everyone's had that experience where certain commanders just end up fundamentally warping the game around their abilities. Like that Lavinia, Azorius Renegade player who you just know is playing the Knowledge Pool combo or my own Marisi deck who forces the rest of the table into uncomfortable combat, these are commanders that immediately telegraph that you're not in for a "normal" game of Commander.

Out of the three players who were in the match played, two of us were using such commanders. I was one of them, using a new flying "tribal" deck I had built around Inniaz, the Gale Force. The other game-warping commander was Zedruu, the Greathearted. And our third player had Kess, Dissident Mage as their general.

Mind Games - Prey (2017) - Part 2

The Mind Games continue, only this time I'm not alone. My old friend Mathias, who is just as much a fan of this game as I am, if not more so, will be joining me for the duration of this series.

Together, we'll restore functionality to the Looking Glass, and set off on a quest to fulfill the wishes of our previous incarnation. And along the way, we'll attempt to piece together the puzzle of Morgan Yu.

Thumbnail courtesy of Sam Callahan.

Making Magic in the Arena - Jumpstart

Jumpstart is one of the innovative and interesting formats I've seen the designers at Wizards of the Coast come up with. This weird hybrid format, combining the focus of pre-constructed decks with the variety that comes from a Limited format like Draft or Sealed.

Though boxes of it are hard to come by and too expensive when they are, largely due to Covid-related manufacturing issues, a version of it has come to MTG: Arena for us to play in the meantime. Is this new way to play all it's cracked up to be? Or is Jumpstart dead in the water?

Let's find out.

Mind Games - Prey (2017) - Part 1

I can't believe I haven't played this one on stream yet, especially since it's one that I never tire of. Arkane Studio's Prey is one of, if not the, most criminally underappreciated and undersold games of 2017.

Where Dishonored and it's sequels derive heavily from the Thief franchise that game before it, Prey drinks from the same well as System Shock did. In all but name, this is the closest we'll get to System Shock 3 until the actual System Shock 3 exits development hell.

It is my hope that by the end of this series, you will come to love this game the same way I do, if you haven't already.

Credit to Sam Callahan for providing the thumbnail.

In League with the Legends - A.R.A.M.

Recently, League of Legends implemented a new feature called "The Lab", where it will introduce experimental modes of play that are unique from the others.

For our first round in the Lab, we play a classic mode from League of Legends: ASMR... I mean ARAM, short for "All Random All Mid". Four random champions are selected, and after a mulligan the deck is built based on those champions.

Which means that there's no need for us to build anything for it. Let's just dive in and see what happens.

Magic: The Gathering - Commander Night Playback - Achieving the Moral Victory

Statistically speaking, if a 4-player pod are building and playing decks are similar power levels, any one player should win roughly 25% of the time. This means that players should expect to lose the vast majority of their matches.

While this week's matches fall into that other 75%, I still managed to get in my licks and make an impact on the board.

Almost on accident, our first match went in a tribal direction. One of my friends ran Goblin-tribal with Muxus, Goblin Grandee. Another ran Morophon, the Boundless as a God-tribal deck, and the third player ran a Gishath, Sun's Avatar deck with dinosaurs.

So what tribe did I go with: Human Advisor, of course! And thanks to Bruvac, the Grandiloquent, I have the perfect commander for my Advisor-tribal deck. (wink wink)

Time Twister - Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped - Finale

This episode has been a long time coming. Since we began our adventures with the remade PS1 games back in November or December, depending on how you're counting, we've had many incredible journeys across fantastical worlds.

But all good things must come to an end. And this series is no different. Today, we collect the remaining gems and relics and place the finishing touches on our adventures. Afterwards, one last confrontation with the good doctor is all we needed to end this story... until next time of course.

Making Magic in the Arena - Brawlin' with Bolas

Especially after that last MTG Arena stream with the Esper/Sultai Control decks, I've found myself growing somewhat disinterested in the current standard environment. For that reason, it was important to give something else a try in order to keep me going.

That's when I remembered that time I played Brawl using Nethroi as my Commander. Those matches were some of the best I've had in Arena for a good long while, and maybe continuing down that path would rekindle the spark I have for the game.

Naturally, when picking a Commander, the first one that comes to mind is good ol' Tricky Nicky. After doing a bit of research into Brawl deckbuilding, I found a good-looking decklist that I wanted to try out. The only change I had was replacing the Rakdos Guildgate with a Temple of Malice.

Let the games begins!

Magic: the Gathering - Commander Night Playback - Green is Too Powerful

It is often said that green is the most powerful color in Commander, possessing a glut of useful tools that feel almost disproportionate to what other colors are capable of. Of course, I've played decks that use Green, like Muldrotha and Marisi, but I've never played a mono-Green deck...

...until now. One of the members of our playgroup handed me a decklist that he wanted me to play on his behalf if he wasn't able to join us. When game time was upon us and he hadn't show up, the very least I could do was honor his wishes.

So it came to pass that I ran Jolrael, Mwonvuli Recluse, with a deck designed around using both of her abilities to build an unstoppable board of powerhouse creatures. Standing in the other corners were Arcades, the Strategist, Sygg, River Cutthroat, and Sethron, Hurloon General.

Making Magic in the Arena - Under Control

Now that Core Set 2021 has been given some opportunity to percolate in the wilds, it's time to delve back into the Arena to see what we experience.

We played two decks today, both Control decks. Though one was in Esper colors and the other was in Sultai.

Magic the Gathering - Commander Night Playback - Casual Game of Thrones

Well, this was supposed to be the week I went to Anthrocon. You might be surprised to know that there is some fierce competition in the intersection between furries and MTG players. I have a Kenrith and a Muldrotha deck that I've been prepared for the occasion, but obviously the quarantine rightfully cancelled those plans. Covid-19 just makes such travel unsafe.

But whenever one door closes, another one tends to open. One of the members of our playgroup has a friend that they've wanted to teach Magic to for a while, and so I joined the two of them for a more beginner-friendly, casual Commander match that we could use to teach the rules of the game.

This gave me an opportunity to play one of my more "for fun" decks, helmed by Queen Marchesa (long may she reign) because Monarchy is one of my favorite mechanics to introduce to a multiplayer game.

My play group member brought out their Sygg, River Cutthroat deck, and handed their friend a Gishath, Sun's Avatar deck because everyone loves big stompy dinosaurs!

Time Twister - Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped - Part 3

After a short break, we're ready to continue our adventures through time. We're so close to our inevitable confrontation with Dr. Cortex and the evil Uka Uka that it won't be much longer now.

But first, I lose my patience with bastard cops who keep ramming into me. All Cops Are Bastards.

Apologies for the audio in this one. I suspect I know why it's such buggy, and I should be able to fix it next time.

In League with the Legends - Playing the Long Game

Core Set 2021 is just coming out, and the meta for MTG Arena is going to be in flux because of it. So while we give things time to settle, let us return to Runeterra to see play a few matches with some new decks/strategies.

This time, we'll be aiming to play the long game, with tactics intended to stall out and out value aggressive decks over time.

As always, thanks to MobaLytics for sourcing all of these excellent deck ideas.

Deck Lists:

• Endure Spiders/Aristocrats:  
•  CEBQCAQFAQBQCAIDCYRAMAIFDYUCWMBRGUBQCAQBA4AQEBIBAMAQKBYLDEAA
• Heimer Control:
• CECAKAIECANSONBYAIBAEAIJAQAQEAQMEY4QCAQEBAAQEAICEUYQA

Magic the Gathering - Commander Night Playback - The Return of King Kenny

There's nothing quite like a knock-down, drag out battle where every player gets the chance to take command of the game at least once. Three decks, all of the same relative power level, making strong plays, and sowing fear and excitement into their competitors.

This was the exact kind of match that we had in our EDH game yesterday, and I'm still thinking about how incredible it was.

Instead of adhering to our usual Cockatrice budgetless deck construction, I made the choice to run the version of Kenrith that I had built for myself in real-life, with the intention of playing it at Anthrocon (RIP travel plans). While the deck's paper variant does run a few tutors, I swapped them out for some cards in the maybeboard to adhere to our table's rules.

My opponents were the partner pair of Tymna the Weaver/Kraum, Ludevic's Opus and King "Drivin'" Macar, the Gold-Cursed.

Time Twister - Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped - Part 2

Our trip down nostalgia lane continues as we continue to take down Cortex's henchmen, snatching the crystals out from under him in this quest across time and space.

Next up we enter the domains of two devious mad scientists. First up, Dr. Nefarious Trophy: Keeper of time and creator of the Time Twister we've been using to traverse the course of history. And once we've cleaned his clocks, we'll start to prepare for the machinations of Dr. N Gin.

It's an epic of the ages, and there's no telling when we'll be next.

Making Magic in the Arena - Jund Sacrifice (Ikoria)

There's been a series of much needed shakeups in Standard as of late, and the dust appears to be finally settling. This isn't the first we've experienced bans on this channel, and we'll be able to adjust as we always do.

Thankfully for us, the field is wide open, and we'll be able to see new decks, and a few old ones that were forced out, take the stage. It's time to throw that Cat in the Oven, because Jund Sacrifice is back baby.

Magic the Gathering - Commander Night Playback - Commanders Die!

Commanders die!

If you aren't an EDH player, that phrase means absolutely nothing to you. But for the rest of us, this is a huge difference. Previously, whenever a commander returned to the commander zone, it never hit the graveyard so any death triggers would not activate.

Thanks to a recent statement by the Rules Committee, we are in a new era of Commander. We are finally freed from the tyranny of technicality.

And I could not think of a better way to celebrate than to build around a creature that I've wanted to for a long time, but was dissuaded from doing so by the old rules. The card that was forever trapped in the 99 until now: Elenda, the Dusk Rose.

My hybrid Vampire-tribal/Aristocrats build went up against Urza, Lord High Artificer, the Ur-Dragon, and the partners Pako/Haldan.

Time Twister - Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped - Part 1

After our detour through the wreckage of Raccoon City, it's time to go back to our PlayStation platforming nostalgia series. Though a few months have passed since our last sojourn with the blunder from down under, neither Crash nor his sister Coco are any worse for wear.

With a new threat from old enemies on the loose, we're in for one final adventure. The crystals are scattered through the ages, and it's time for us to step into the Time Twister to reclaim them before Dr. Cortex can.

The Spooky Bois Play - Resident Evil 3 - Resistance

Since we wrapped up Resident Evil 3's campaign last week, David and I thought it might be fun to play the other game that came packaged in with it: A co-op multiplayer game titled "Resident Evil: Resistance".

It was certainly... an experience.

In League With the Legends - Bilgewater Special

While I suspect that these protests will still be ongoing by the time this goes live on my blog and YouTube, I want to reiterate that this footage was recorded, and this post was written during the protests against police brutality following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police office Derek Chauvin.

This is not an isolated incident, and such occurrences are well-known and feared by the American-American community, and other minority communities across both the US and the world.

As small a platform as I have, it is nonetheless a platform. To that end, I want to share some resources that might help you join in supporting our brothers and sisters struggling in the fight for justice. Do note that this list is far from comprehensive, but a good way to get started.

Research-based solutions to the systemic police violence: https://twitter.com/samswey/status/1180655701271732224

Resources to get educating and involved: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/#

Places to donate:

• Black Lives Matter: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ms_blm_homepage_2019
• Color of Change: https://colorofchange.org/
• Donation Split Among Various Support Groups: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/bail_funds_george_floyd 

Once you've finished doing your part to show solidarity with those protesting a violate, fascist police state, we can proceed to lead a nation of pirates and sea monsters to victory against fascist police states by giving them the ol' Bilgewater Welcome.

Both of the decks we're playing today are heavily focused around using the new cards from Bilgewater, with support from the Shadow Isles and Freljord respectively, to entirely different yet effective ends.

As always, I take the deck ideas that I use in this show from Mobalytics. The decklists are as follows:

•  Deep Monsters: 
• CEBQKAQGDUTS6NJYAIAQKHJIAEBAKCQDAIBAMJJMAIBAKBYIAIAQKGJWAIBQCBJLFY2ACAQFAM
• Tempo Sejuani:
• CEBQUAQGAUFRIFQ4EEWTCOR6AEAQCFQCAIAQEBYAAEAQEBQR

The Spooky Bois - Resident Evil 3 - Finale

This is normally the part where I would that we are "at last" finished with Resident Evil 3, but that would imply we played it for very long. The truth is that this was actually an extremely short series, this being the third episode. And yet, we have already arrived at it's conclusion.

With my friends David Phillips and Andre Doucet in tow, I had nothing to fear braving the final act of this adventure to save Raccoon City.

Ignore all the evidence of your lying eyes and ears. I am, in fact, a good video gamer.

Making Magic in the Arena - Nethroi Brawl (And Some Kenrith)

Just to add some variety to my usual streams, I figured that it would to challenge myself to do something new in Magic the Gathering: Arena. For that reason, I thought it would be fun to give Brawl a shot.

Building myself some new brews to test out this new (to me) format, let us see how the format, and my deck-building, holds up.

You can find both my Kenrith and Nethroi lists on TappedOut.