The team at Eurogamer is sharing their recent gaming experiences, offering a diverse look at how players are engaging with various titles. Mat J has been engrossed in Sobosuba, a game that prompts contemplation on player agency and the definition of 'playing'.
Sobosuba, which involves merging blobs together with soft-body physics, has captivated Mat J despite his initial reservations. The experience has led him to consider games that largely play themselves, questioning how much active participation is truly required for an experience to be considered 'played'. This philosophical tangent touches upon games like Vampire Survivors, where the player's role can sometimes feel more like strategic selection than direct control, and extends the thought to even simpler mechanics found in games like Tetris or even the act of breathing.
In contrast, Connor found himself returning to the classic Minesweeper due to a lack of mobile data. He highlights the enduring brilliance of the puzzle game, appreciating the moments where the grid's numbers logically reveal safe spaces and the satisfying cascade of revealed areas. Minesweeper, despite its familiarity, still offers moments of satisfying deduction and discovery.
Bertie, meanwhile, is continuing a weekly tradition with Eurogamer readers in the collaborative exploration game Big Walk. The second week of these shared adventures saw participants breaking into smaller teams to cover more ground and tackle puzzles. Despite some chaotic moments, including the misuse of a megaphone and an unconventional ascent up a cliff, the group managed to activate in-game elements like a chair lift and a train.
Big Walk continues to impress Bertie with its generosity as a package, offering a dense yet manageable island playground that encourages 'being' with others over constant 'doing'. The game fosters micro-stories and shared moments of observation. Bertie also points to a particularly remarkable puzzle that involved players simply sitting together and talking about their lives, a testament to the game's unique ability to facilitate genuine connection.
Bertie also noted dabbling in The Lord of the Rings: The War in the North and enjoying some runs in Hades 2 during the week.