I spend most days either working or writing, but in the periods when I’m at home and I don’t have to work and I think that I’ve done enough writing for the day, I try to either exercise or play some game. Ever since All on Board! came out (it’s an app to play board games in VR), even though it’s quite barebones compared to what it will hopefully become in some months, I’ve regained the sense of joy that comes with playing board games. The mind stretches to grab the corners of the system each board game has created, which gives you a thrilling sense of your options and possible strategies.

I’m a systems builder, so every time I get back into board games, I fantasize about creating my own. A week or so ago I ended up gathering all the game mechanics I could find online, categorizing them, and posting them on this site, to the likely annoyance of many of my very few subscribers; when my emails hit their inbox, they must have expected to get new parts of stories, only to find themselves flooded with posts about game mechanics. That must have felt like a non sequitur. Anyway, I’d love to design my own board game, but I don’t have time to focus hard on anything else when I’m deep into writing a story. If I were unemployed, I suspect I would expect the rest of my spare time either preparing the next writing session, or fucking around.

Regarding digital games, these days it’s hard to pick anything decent. AAA games are on a deserved downward spiral. Most of the legendary studios, those that haven’t disappeared, exist in name only; the actual talent bailed. Bethesda needs to fire their lead writer, and perhaps Todd himself. Fans are shouldering the massive endeavor of keeping great gaming traditions alive; Morrowind modding, for example, is astonishing these days. Regarding huge games, I’m waiting to buy a better graphics card in order to finally have my playthrough of Cyberpunk 2077 in VR. Once you play certain things in VR, you really don’t want to spoil the experience by playing flat.

Anyway, I did buy a new game and enjoyed it a lot. Spent my whole Sunday afternoon playing it. This one was a bit of a meme a couple of years ago, but it still seemed up my alley: it’s the visual novel (of sorts) named The Coffin of Andy and Leyley. Supposedly a horror game, but it felt like a dark comedy to me. As well as a sibling abuse simulator. Mentioning any of the most conspicuous elements you experience in the story would involve spoilers.

In any case, you ultimately play, and anticipate upcoming chapters, because of Andrew and Ashley, the siblings in charge of that wild ride. Like in any great story, you return to it because you want to spend more time with one or more characters. Due to the subjects the author touches in this game, apparently she (her updates sound like they’re written by a woman, but I wouldn’t be sure these days) got death threats and partially doxxed, which led her to step back from the spotlight. However, the author is uncompromising in her dark vision, and refuses to bend the knee. Such authors are almost the only kind I can respect these days.

Oh, and Ashley Graves, the manipulative, sociopathic half of the sibling couple… I’m down bad for that black-hearted bitch. Even though not even a new birth would fix her.