Hello and welcome back to our regular feature where we write a little about the games we've been playing. This week, Connor plays a classic and ticks it off his bucket list; Sherif isn't sure about a first-person shooter foray into Soulslikes; Matt visits a South Pacific island volcano and Jim Henson's Labyrinth, all in one game; and Bertie discovers that playing D&D with kids is enormously entertaining.
But enough of that: what have you been playing this week? And don't forget we have an entire dusty archive of previous What We've Been Playings, just in case you don't trust your memory and want to check which games you've played, and see what you thought of them.
FTL, PC
Connor spent time crossing a game off his bucket list, booting up FTL for the first time after years of it sitting untouched in his Steam library. He found the game immediately engaging, enjoying the process of figuring out intricate strategies that helped him reach the final boss, though he has yet to conquer it due to a particularly brutal drone phase. A moment of particular satisfaction came when he learned to strategically open airlocks to extinguish fires, a tactic that made him feel "properly smart." FTL is described as a bucket list classic, with Dwarf Fortress next on Connor's list.
Guns of Eschaton demo, PC
Sherif tried the demo for Guns of Eschaton, a first-person Soulslike set in a supernatural, folk tales-inspired Wild West. The game features a single-action revolver as the primary weapon, with other period-appropriate firearms becoming available later. Sherif expressed uncertainty about whether a first-person shooter could effectively translate into the Soulslike genre, noting that most enemies are encountered at a distance. He found that being slow to react to enemy shots could result in losing half of his health. Some encounters brought to mind challenging tactical shooters, with slow peeking, scarce ammo, and the AI's ability to quickly dispatch the player. Sherif also encountered issues with the game's controls, finding the button mapping unexpected and unchangeable, which proved frustrating in a challenging game. Despite these reservations, the concept of a Soulslike gunslinger keeps Guns of Eschaton on his radar, and he plans to try it again with a mouse and keyboard.
Walkabout Mini Golf, Steam Frame
Matt revisited Walkabout Mini Golf after a positive experience with Valve's Steam Frame. He described the game as multiplayer mini golf in VR, where the motion controls for swinging and putting feel natural. The developer, Mighty Coconut, is praised for its phenomenal and fantastical course design, which spans various themes including 1950s Hollywood, Atlantis, Jules Verne, Mount Olympus, and even Jim Henson's Labyrinth. Matt finds it to be a wonderfully relaxing way to unwind, whether playing solo or with friends, noting that while the air might not be as fresh as outdoors, his immediate surroundings don't typically include a South Pacific island volcano.
In-person pick-up D&D, and Marvel Cosmic Invasion, PS5
Bertie participated in a pick-up Dungeons & Dragons game at Waterstones in Brighton, a new experience for him. Paired with strangers and two energetic children, aged roughly 10 to 12, he found their enthusiasm and imagination to be a jolting reminder of the power of a child's engagement with the game. While their energy sometimes led to impatience with waiting turns, it did not detract from the enjoyment of the evening. Bertie also played Marvel Cosmic Invasion, a retro-styled, side-scrolling, co-op beat-'em-up featuring characters like Captain America, Spider-Man, Storm, and Wolverine. He highlighted the game's cool tag-team system, allowing players to switch between two heroes and call the other for assistance and special moves, as well as the satisfying feeling of flight. The game is recommended as a perfect couch co-op experience.