What has happened to your dearest, red, Thrangis?  He’s been very busy with the vast difficult challenges summer vacation presents someone working in the educational field.  Over exposure to nada coupled with heat.  I’ve been taking it very easy and casually bouncing between games.  I picked up a Raptr shortly after starting TERA about a month ago.  Oh yeah, TERA.  I haven’t played that for a few weeks or so.  It’s rather… depressing.  Perhaps it’s how my mind has adjusted for age or possible other factors that have completely eluded me.  I enjoy the game for basic reasons:  The character designs and the combat (big surprise there).

Here’s the biggest issue I have with the game:  There’s no incentive to play the game.

Sure, playing the game all on its own is rewarding, for a time.  However, once you knock a few alts over the 60 mark and you’re sitting around for Nexus, or whatever other content to grind gear or mats for enigmatics, the experience as a whole loses its initial luster.  I don’t think I’ll be renewing my subscription to the game, come time.  Not with the way things are moving.  It entertained me for a time.  But, I yearn for depth.  Sorry TERA.

I’ve recently found myself playing an assortment of games that allow me to use a gamepad instead of the keyboard.  TERA offered a similar setup, but it was very clunky and horrible for navigating the UI.  My biggest switch has been to FFXIV.  I played a limited time about a year ago, testing the waters of a game that I was painted in the worst light.  I agreed with the assessment after my own experience.  However, I return to find everything rather palpable.  So many features of the game I must have overlooked, because the subtle nuances of the game now speak volumes to me as a play.  A beautiful detail to character expression and story.  Best of all, the game is perfectly tuned to be played with a gamepad.  Surprisingly so.  I prefer it to the keyboard for the game and it definitely illuminates a fondness to the previous Final Fantasy games.  If you’re keeping an eye on FFXIV 2.0, I’d wait the full period for those who vividly remember their first experience.  I’m attempting to see what story I can before it all changes and I hope to achieve the Legacy Campaign.  I’ll be cutting it really close.

In other news…

I’m sure you already know and I’m already breaking my earlier resolve.  GW2 will be releasing in two months time.  August 28, 2012.  Much earlier than many speculations, but I can bet no one minds.  I said I wouldn’t discuss GW2 until two months after the game released, but it appears that I can’t resist.

- TTred