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So, what are you playing?

by: Randy -
More On: What we're playing
 
It's the week the United States started counting votes for its President—some states even finished counting! It's also the week before America chooses a console. Whether you choose PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X, you're probably stuck with that decision for the next four years, too. And if the season two premiere of The Mandalorian felt like a side quest, that's because it is a side quest in KOTOR
 
So, what are you playing?
 
Charlie Coleman
This week, I've been playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. There was a Halloween event, The Haunting of Verdansk, that was one of the most enjoyable in-game holiday events I've played in a long time. The event saw a crossover between zombies and the game's Battle Royale Warzone mode. The event also had SAW and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre crossovers; this resulted in some rather comical scenes seeing Leatherface and Billy the Puppet running around the map. I'm looking forward to how they merge Warzone with the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. 
 
Sean Hattingh
Speaking of first-person shooters, apparently I can't get enough of them. As my Destiny 2 break rapidly draws to a close with Beyond Light approaching, I decided to dip my toe into Far Cry 5 for the first time. Better late than never, right?
 
Well, I've played the bare minimum of the intro, and so far it's... Well, it's another Far Cry game. That's not bad, it's just what it is. I think I'm going to enjoy the tropes I haven't played in a while, since I've had a long break from the Ubisoft open-world model. If I get sick of it, I'm still chasing, with slightly less vigor, my Talos Principle platinum. Man, those puzzles are difficult. I think I'll have plenty to keep my mind off of the fact that I don't have Beyond Light in my hands just yet, even as Variks narrates my dreams (don't judge me). 
 
Eric Hauter
With my current wave of reviews behind me, I am spending more time messing around with games that I've never played on Stadia and Luna, creating and posting short videos about my experiences. While I've been enjoying pretty much everything I've tried, I've been tempted back several times by Risk of Rain 2 - a 3D roguelike that is usually well outside of the sort of game I would regularly play. Strange, each time I take a run at it, I get a little better and start to understand what's going on a little more. I still haven't beaten the boss on the very first level, but last night I got close. 
 
I'm also planning on returning to Obduction - the gorgeous and mysterious walking sim by the makers of Myst. I've been playing on Luna, but I think I'm going to start over and record my progress to post on the site. I'm only about 45 hours in, so no big deal to start over. It's a fascinating game.
 
Randy Kalista
My life is Assassin's Creed Valhalla right now, as I scribble notes frantically for the review. The last three Assassin's Creed games—Syndicate, Origins, and Odyssey—were 33, 51, and 80 hours long. That's just the main story and a few side quests, if How Long to Beat is to be believed. Suffice it to say (since I'm not allowed to say much more than this), that I do have a copy of Valhalla in hand, and I'll do my level best to roll credits by the November 10 launch day. By the time you're reading this, I'll have three days left.
 
If I need anything to compare and contrast with, I may break out God of War and Skyrim. Different genres, different intentions, but both in love with Viking lore and aesthetics, both looking to advance Viking mythology, and both appearing at different ends of the scale when it comes to action RPGs. Seeing where Assassin's Creed falls on that scale will make for a full weekend, no doubt. Skal!