Video Games – Level Up and Chow Down

The Declining State of Video Games

May 11, 2025Posted in UncategorizedTagged Games, Gaming, playstation, Video GamesLeave a comment

In the early 2000s, the PlayStation 2 was arguably the best video game console, with astronomical sales. Given the rapid technological growth of that period, it’s understandable why video games gained so much attention. However, this isn’t a blog about the greatness of video games or their history. It’s about the alarming decline of video games today.

I booted up my PlayStation 5 to play video games after a while. I’ve been playing one game, but I became uninterested quickly. As I navigated through season passes, micro transactions, and ads disguised as upgrades, I realized video games have lost their charm. They’re now in a weird place of monetization, with oversaturated upsells. With the increased exposure of season passes, Downloadable Content (DLC), and in game currency, it all boils down to one thing, MONEY!

Gaming franchises have become increasingly lazy in their pursuit of producing high-quality games with compelling stories, well-written narratives, and impressive graphics. The rise of multiplayer gaming has significantly impacted the popularity of story-driven games, although this may not be immediately apparent from the fact that story-driven games have won Game of the Year awards in the past five years. The point of my argument is that the surge in online multiplayer has led to a decline in the quality of games being released, as developers prioritize profit over quality.

Years ago, I shared my thoughts with a friend that video games are primarily marketed to platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and others. These platforms provide free marketing opportunities for streamers, who in turn offer “fake” reviews to entice gamers to purchase the games. This is frustrating because owners are trying to experiment with more exploitive ways to make money from their consumers. With the rumors of Grand Theft Auto 6 being a subscription base, it leaves me wondering if that’s the direction they will go. Even with the INSANE price of the Switch 2 and the reason why they have the increase, which they confirmed that it has nothing to do with the tariffs, is just leaving me and many people in the state of grief. It doesn’t help that those who can afford it will simply purchase it so that throws the idea of any real change out the window.

There’s a solution to all this, but it’ll be challenging if everyone’s not on the same page. As consumers, we’re the ones who enable companies to make money. If we’re all united, it’ll make it easier to compel companies to change and revert to creating quality games. Simply boycotting won’t work if everyone, and I mean everyone, isn’t willing to do that. In this case, the best approach to addressing a problem is to start from the outside in.

If you’re interested in learning more about this topic, check out my gaming podcast episode where I discuss video games from your favorite games with one of my best friends. https://youtu.be/UDdAR7rDUDQ

Split Fiction Review

March 18, 2025May 4, 2025Posted in UncategorizedTagged Console, Games, Split Fiction, Video GamesLeave a comment

We’re big fans of couch co-op games, and this year, we were excited to play our most anticipated game, Split Fiction. The game launched on PS5 on March 6th, and we couldn’t wait to dive in.

The story follows two aspiring writers, Zoe and Mio, who are invited by a corporation to participate in a unique project. This project involves immersing themselves in their own written stories through virtual reality. However, they soon discover that the machine they’re using is designed to steal ideas from writers. Now, it’s up to Milo and Zoe to stop this sinister plot from unfolding.

We had played through half of the game when we decided to give a first-hand review.

Aaron:

This game is rapidly becoming one of my favorites, not just for its co-op mode, but for its overall appeal. The vibrant colors and challenging stages create a versatile gaming experience. In my opinion, the game’s retro gaming references, particularly those from the 90s and possibly the early 2000s, will resonate deeply with kids who grew up during those eras. I’ve already explored Blazing Star, Contra, Pinball, and more in the in-story, mini-game modes.

The story is exceptionally well-written, almost to the point of developing a connection with the characters and their struggles. This is one story that, I believe, everyone can relate to on some level; facing the challenge of progressing despite a blockade that is entirely self-imposed. While there are external forces that can help overcome these struggles, they are not always necessary.

Overall, I highly recommend this game to anyone and everyone. It’s worth the purchase. I give it a perfect 10/10.

Donna:

If you haven’t checked out our previous post, be sure to give it a read! I’ve always loved a good story, and Split Fiction did not disappoint. Mio and Zoe’s journey is packed with depth, emotional moments, and plenty of feel-good scenes. The game strikes a perfect balance between intrigue and silliness—one moment, we were battling enemies, and the next, we were literal hotdogs on a grill.

As for gameplay, I genuinely enjoyed most of the levels. Some were a bit beyond my skill level (cue me dying every two seconds), but overall, the experience was engaging. I found myself preferring Zoe’s fantasy-themed levels over Mio’s sci-fi sections, as they felt more immersive to me.

Visually, the game is stunning. Zoe’s fantasy world, in particular, was beautifully crafted—it felt like stepping into a movie or the pages of a book. The environments truly pulled me into the game, making the experience even more enjoyable.

If you’re looking for a solid couch co-op game, Split Fiction is definitely worth playing. I highly recommend it!

Top Co-op Games We Played So Far

March 1, 2025May 4, 2025Posted in GamingTagged Co-op, Console, Games, Video Games2 Comments

There are many features that go into creating and playing video games but there are few games that standout making them better than the rest. We have been able to provide you with a list of our top games that we played together. We have a bonus game that we look forward to.

Donna’s Top Games

Sackboy A Big Adventure

I’ll be honest—I’m not a hardcore gamer, so for a game to really hook me, it has to catch my eye. And this one? It delivered. The vibrant worlds, unique character skins, and enticing visuals had me hooked. But it wasn’t just the aesthetics that had me hooked. The gameplay is very engaging as you move through different stages, you have to figure out obstacles, collect orbs, and fight off bad guys. And my highlight moment of it all is when I found a fish and used it as a weapon. Yes, I smacked every enemy I saw with it, and enjoyed every minute. I even smacked Aaron with it!

I’d happily play this again and crossing my fingers they release a new Sackboy. I’d rate this a 10/10.

Overcooked 2 All you can Eat

If you and your partner don’t have good communication skills, this ain’t the game for you. This game can be a lot of fun but you have to come up with a game plan/flow to beat the challenges and or get your three stars. Once Aaron and I found our flow we breezed through the game. Not saying it was all easy because there were definitely challenges but it was fun. Visually it was okay nothing special or out the ordinary. But very engaging with all the different stages.

I’d rate this game an 8/10.

It Takes Two

Playing this game made me realize that I really like games with a good story line. From the annoying but funny talking book, the little girl feeling unloved, to the couple on the verge of a divorce there was a lot to keep up with. The narrative hooked me, driving me to play through to the end to uncover it’s conclusion. The game play is also engaging. From fighting a vacuum cleaner, bees, and even stuffed animals as you go from stage to stage. I would say for this game COMMUNICATION IS KEY. There will be moments where you are literally tied to each other so you have to work together.

Definitely 10/10 for me

Aaron’s Top Games

The Past Within

This game isn’t very appealing to the eye at first and it’s a bit creepy, but this is a really good “escape room” kind of game. I’m a fan of brain teasers and working together to accomplish a goal. This game requires you to use discord, phone calls, or some kind of chat room to play because you will both see something different. When you first get in there aren’t really instructions, you really have to put yourself in the game and figure it out. COMMUNICATION is key for this game because you need to unlock doors, use codes to move on, etc. If one person gets stuck then you’re both stuck, can’t move on to the next stage without certain keys. I’ll give this game a solid 8/10, and those 2 points are because of the graphics. Again, not really appealing to the eye unless you like the art work, but the gameplay is interesting and tricky to get through, a good experience either way.

Sackboy A Big Adventure

If you are a fan of Astro Bot, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, or any Platform Games, this one is for you. The overall gameplay makes it fun and challenging all at once, so you’re not breezing through every stage on the game. This might be my favorite game to play because of its quirky cartoon vibe. Each stage brings something different. This is easily one of those games that has replay value, you play it once, then you play it a few more times because of how fun it is. Playing with someone that has a funny personality makes this game funny also because there are parts of this games cut scenes that are really hilarious when you think about it. Gameplay is smooth and not bulky and the challenges for each stage makes this game a 10/10 for me. This is fun for 2 people,m or even a family.

It Takes Two

This is a fun CO-OP game to play with a loved one, there’s a love story connected to this game so that’s why I recommend playing it with a loved one, but it isn’t mandatory. This game is split screen so you’ll be able to see everything for your point of view as well as your partners point of view, so you’ll be able to get see each other be embarrassed with each others play. This is team dependent so you’ll need to be on the same idea when going through the stages. My favorite stage was with the squirrels and bees going to war with each other, with an insane plot twist. I’ll give the game a 9/10. It was difficult to get started because we both needed the game to play but once we got a flow it ended up being a really good game with very good story.

Anticipated Release

We have one game in particular that we look forward to and that is SPLIT FICTION. We don’t have much to say about instead that the graphics look great and the story looks like it may be something to enjoy. The official release date for this game on ps5 is March 6th, 2025. We are excited to try this out and give you our thoughts.

View the Trailers below.