Thelsim

The very worst controller I’ve ever used was this no-name joystick in the 90s. You had to grip like a claw, which looked kind of cool and futuristic but was awful in use. The base was tiny and it had these suction cups that didn’t work at all.
But the very very worst thing about it, was that the input was binary! It was either on or off, no gradual movements or anything. Basically it was an oversized d-pad.

I borrowed it from a friend so I could try Rebel Assault, which looked so awesome what with CD-ROMs being a new thing. But that joystick ruined the experience so much! Try flying a ship through a canyon when all you can do is hard turns in 8 different directions. I constantly crashed within the first 10 seconds of the game and kept thinking it was my fault for being a crap player.
I still hate that monstrosity with every fiber of my being.

My entire family is obsessed with Power Wash Simulator right now. Especially my partner who can’t seem to get enough of it.
It is quite soothing though, just empty your head and wash away the filth.

When you put it like that I suppose Anachronox is definitely more of a JRPG. Either way, it’s a really good game :)

Thank you for your thorough explanation!

It was a mix of both, the battle system was definitely like a JRPG that’s true.
Come to think of it, I’m not an expert on JRPG’s, so maybe it is? :) What else defines a JRPG?

One title that comes to mind is Anachronox. A western rpg with a really good story, interesting characters (one of your companions is an entire planet shrinked down to human size), fun humor and a cliffhanger that never got resolved.

I really wish they made a part 2 but I know it will never happen.

I splurged on the Steam winter sale and bought a set of smaller games.
Right now I’m busy playing I Was a Teenage Exocolonist which has been more fun than expected. I really like the story and the multiple paths and endings. The card games are meh, but once you find a good modifier they become very easy.

At the same time I’m also playing Shadows over Loathing which is very very funny in short sessions.

Oh I love Frog Detective! I played it together with my (then) 5 year old daughter, where I was required to read out loud all the dialogue in funny voices.
They are indeed very cute and short games.

edit: it’s a trilogy, not one game :)

I’ve started playing Rogue Trader. I’m not very familiar with the warhammer 40k universe and my god it’s a depressing place. I’m heavily leaning into the iconoclast play style because I don’t think I’d be able to roleplay as a dutiful servant of the empire.
There’s also a ton of stats that make my head spin. But I usually just avoid thinking about that by decreasing the difficulty and choosing upgrades that sounds interesting.

Westwood, but not for Command & Conquer or Dune 2. I still remember them fondly for their Kyrandia games. I loved the art design, the music and the jokes.
Kyrandia 2 being one of my all time favorite adventure games, Zanthia was an awesome protagonist. Especially for her time.

It’s nice that their strategy games picked up the way they did, but part of me wishes they stuck with their fantasy games.

I loved the Quest games! They were my first real introduction to the English language. Simple phrases like Open Door and feed chickens were a great way to build my basic vocabulary. I kept pestering my dad for translations until he got fed up and taught me how to use a dictionary :)

I have so many great memories playing those games, on my own and together with my dad. It really was a bonding experience.

Can they invent a few more of these kinds of Tik Tok trends?
The kind where they’re tricked into doing something healthy and harmless? I imagine an army of troll nutritionists thinking up new challenges :)

edited because Thelsim doesn’t proofread

Oh, I agree on all those points. The rules are definitely easier to understand, especially compared to Pathfinder. And I do like that you are more free in how to resolve a conflict.

The thing I meant was that for me, personally, interacting with the world is daunting. Having a 3rd person view of a fully 3d world filled with tons of items to interact with and with different elevations makes it hard for me to make a mental map of the game world. It’s not such a big deal for Deus Ex (where it’s in 1st person and you can get really up close to things) or with Zelda (where the amount of stuff to interact with is a lot more sparse). In BG3 I just constantly feel like I’m lost and missing out on things that might have been hidden from view because I looked at it from the wrong angle.
It’s just me. I miss the overview of the flatter maps in those other games. It allows me to focus more on the story and the exploration funny enough.

Again, I agree with everything else. I still love the game and the design, I just realize what I’m missing from my other favorite games.

Like many, I’ve been playing a lot of Baldur’s Gate 3. I love the game, but part of me is already longingly looking at the Pillar of Eternity or Pathfinder games for a bit less complicated level design.
The 3d worlds are nice, but I always have the feeling like I’m a little lost.