Taking a breath, coming back to Recap.

Intelligamers -

Somehow, it's already October. It feels cliche, especially as I get older, to talk about how fast time is flying by. But somehow it is, a combination of breakneck-paced world events and internet memes and social media and...

wait. Maybe it's worth taking a second to breathe.

Literally, if you're reading this, just stop for a minute. Breathe deeply. If you're in a place where you can, close your eyes. Maybe even set a timer for 1 minute, even just 30 seconds.

And just

breathe.

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I feel unsure sometimes how to start a letter, and when I think about summarizing all the events of the recent past as an introduction, my gaze goes wide and tragic. Even just thinking about games specifically, the ever-growing list of company layoffs sits with me: studio after studio, many of whom still post profits and high executive wages, sending their workforce to the curb.

And even with that said, there's an ever-growing tidal wave of fantastic games that I feel I have less and less time to explore. For an industry that I love so much, for an art form I adore like this one...it's easy to lose focus, to get overwhelmed.

In these moments, I try to take a moment to breathe. Not because breathing will fix anything on its own, nor because any of the solutions are as simple as taking a few seconds of quiet air. I do it because I think there's power in slowing down, in pushing the brakes when the rest of the world seemingly lays on the accelerator.

Little moments of power, of centering, of grounding...they give me hope, even for just a second. They may not fix anything in themselves, but the moment of clarity I can take can push me closer to making one small change.

That breath, that pause can be the difference between going to work out and lounging the night away on the couch. It can be the difference between reading a good book and checking my brain out for the night with a TV show. It can be the difference between taking a walk in the morning or laying in bed, scrolling and grilling myself for checking my brain out the night prior.

Every pause is a new opportunity to make a choice. And even though none of above options are the solution to our large-scale issues, they can be a step on the path.

And frankly, even if they're not, they're still important. We ourselves are worth caring for simply because we are.
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Keep Intelligaming, ​
-Josh

The Recap

I hosted Game Devs of Color Expo! I was the host of a four-day game conference centering on the games and experiences of people of color. Though most of the talks are currently only accessible to attendees, you can watch the GDoC Direct Showcase of fantastic games, as well as my Post-Showcase Wrap-Up where I explore the event's Steam Sale and chat.

I've loved this show for years, and it was an honor to get to host the event. I also helped curate the Steam Sale, so I got to explore a ton of upcoming indie games and review submission applications. It's a daunting task, but I had a really good time with it.

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Re-awakening Alan Wake. It's our current long-play game after finishing Control some weeks back. You can catch archives of Episode 3 and Episode 4 on Twitch (plus Episodes 1 and 2).

A remaster of a game from 2008, Alan Wake follows a writer whose wife has gone missing while he is stuck in a paranormal nightmare. Alan's living out the events of a book he doesn't remember writing, all the while chased by shadowy figures. It's a third-person action game with some interesting storytelling, and is the start of the Remedyverse: the shared storytelling universe that Alan Wake, Control, and Quantum Break all share.

Narratively, it's been a wild ride to explore. We've had discussions around romantic relationships and anger, writer's block, creative fulfillment...and just had some good laughs, too. I think the storytelling in Control is better (which makes sense since Control was made way later), but Alan Wake's been a fun Scary Season experience.

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A tough choice in Telltale's The Expanse. We took on Episode 3 of the series, where Captain Drummer and Maya discover just what's hidden at the secret coordinates they'd discovered...and it's far more than they bargained for. Catch all three episodes of The Expanse so far here.​

One of my favorite games of all time is Telltale's The Walking Dead Season 1, a breakout classic of branching narrative and emotional storytelling. Telltale shut it doors in 2018 after reports of unhealthy working conditions and layoffs that sent out 90% of their employees. A new company game in and bought the Telltale name and parts of its portfolio, so this is the first game from the new outfit.

At the end of Episode 3 we have a lengthy discussion about the challenges of writing marginalized characters in 2023. What do you do when you have a small, marginalized cast, and invoking a particular plot device means tripping over a trope? (I'm trying not to be too specific since SPOILERS, but it's a good discussion and you should check it out.)

Schedule for 10/8/23

All streams at https://twitch.tv/intelligame​

Sunday - OFF

Monday - 9a - Alan Wake Remastered, Episode 5​
Will Alan find Alice? Let's find out.

Tuesday - 9a - Alan Wake Remastered, Episode 6
Will Alan find...some therapy? Let's find out. (I sure hope so)

Wednesday - OFF

Thursday - 7a - Cantata/ Moonstone Island
For Variety Day we're checking out two titles: narrative strategy game Cantata, and deck-building island explorer Moonstone Island! (We're trying an early start...bring coffee? LOL)

Friday - OFF

Saturday - OFF

Add the Intelligame Events Calendar to your calendar!

Community Spotlight

Witch, Please: Valace06's Game Journal
The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood

There's a section in the Discord for Game Journals: personal reflections about Intelligamers' travels through the games they care about. Anyone can write what they want about the games they're playing, and it's a wonderful way to learn about interesting titles and the perspectives of people in the community.

This week, I want to point folks in the direction of Valace06's Game Journal about The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood. This is a fantastic narrative game that is still on my to-play list, and part of the game's mechanics involves creating your own tarot cards. Valace's reflections change over time, shaping the cards based on new understandings of both game and self.

An exerpt from the journal:

I'd love to highlight more great work from the community! Email me with the ways you're connecting games to your life: blogs, YouTube videos you're working on, whatever! It might get featured in our next Community Spotlight.

P.S. If you want even more great writing about games like The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood, check out my good friend Jenny (Kimchica)'s video game book club: Geeks and Grounds. It's a free newsletter that guides you through wonderful indie games; check the archive for last month's posts about Cosmic Wheel!

Supporter Shoutout

Intelligame runs on your financial support. Contributions through Patreon, Ko-Fi, and Twitch subscriptions help me keep the lights on and gives me space to focus on Intelligame. To all of you who've supported IG in the past or present: THANK YOU!

This week's Supporter Shoutouts go to: CheetahTequila and Karla Z.!

And a special shoutout to our Intelligame Producers:

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Executive Producers
​Aenne Schumann
Christopher Vanmanivong
Janessa Olson

Associate Producers
​Chris Daviduik
Colin Deans
Len P.
Natto!
Silvia

Thanks for all for your wonderful support. Couldn't keep Intelligaming without you!

That's a pretty extensive recap, if I do say so myself. If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or maybe just a story about a cool game you played? Drop me an email.

-Josh

P.S. This week's bonus link is here. Check it out if you want a story about how someone put down their phone and started making art they care about. 🖤💛🖤💛

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