When my husband and I moved into our house, our friends gifted us board games as a housewarming present. One of the games that was gifted to us was a Hunt A Killer box. I had never heard of Hunt A Killer before receiving this as a present. Hunt A Killer are mystery games that center on a case that needs to be solved. Hunt A Killer can be purchased individually, or there’s a subscription box where a game is sent regularly. Our friend gave us the “Murder at the Motel” game. Hunt A Killer is an interesting premise that I would try to play again.

“Murder at the Motel” takes place unsurprisingly at a motel undergoing renovations. Julian Foard is found dead in one of the motel rooms in the mid-afternoon. Julian’s close confidante, Veronica Rodriguez, calls into a detective agency asking for assistance. The police think she had something to do with his death, but Veronica claims she’s innocent. Several guests are staying in the motel at the time of Julian’s death, including a family of three, a real estate agent, the motel owner, and a man who was seen frequently at the pool, intoxicated. The goal is to figure out three things: the means (how Julian was killed), the motive (who would have a reason for wanting Julian dead), and the timeline to figure out where everyone was when Julian was killed.

As we opened the box, there were several pieces of evidence along with a locked box with a four-digit combination. My group loves to chit-chat, so I think one of the challenging things right away was getting us all to focus on one thing at the same time, versus reviewing all the pieces of evidence separately. I like that Hunt A Killer can be played solo, as I could see buying this and spending a Friday night playing through it. I love the attention to detail within the box. There’s a detailed police report, crime scene photo, several receipts, and other pieces of evidence, along with Julian’s journal. It felt immersive even though it was only a game.

While the game said it would take an hour, it took us at least three hours. The biggest challenge was figuring out who was lying about their alibi, along with figuring out the combination to the locked box. At first, we were sure we wouldn’t need to use a hint, but eventually, it came to a point where we were sinking several hours into this and not getting anywhere. To be fair, “Murder at the Motel” is listed at medium difficulty, but I’m not exactly sure how that’s scaled. We ended up using a small hint, and to our amusement, the answer to the combination was right in front of us.

The biggest gripe I have with “Murder at the Motel” was the solution. My group thought we had it all figured out. However, when we opened the envelope containing the solution, we were wrong about everything. I still find myself thinking through all the pieces of evidence, and I’m not finding a direct link between who the killer was and what we reviewed. Clearly, something was missed, but at the same time, if I’m still stuck putting the pieces together, I’m not sure how clearly outlined the evidence was. Instead of feeling satisfied at the reveal, I was left feeling annoyed. I think this is more specific to the “Murder at the Motel” story, so that’s why I would be open to trying another Hunt A Killer box.

Hunt A Killer is a perfect game for anyone who’s a big True Crime aficionado or someone who likes puzzles or escape rooms. As mentioned, I wasn’t a big fan of the reveal of “Murder at the Motel”, but I do think the concept of this is fun. I don’t think I would sign up for a subscription, but I would consider ordering another story. If you played Hunt A Killer, let me know in the comments which one you tried!

Overwatch 2 is finally out! It seems like there were several delays, which surprises me since I felt the first Overwatch game was immensely popular. As soon as the game was released, I downloaded it on my husband’s Xbox Series X. After playing a few games, I wanted to share what I think of the game, as it seems like there are some strong opinions about Overwatch 2.

To start off, I started playing Overwatch back in 2016 when my husband bought the game for me while we were in college. I played on and off throughout the years, picking up Overwatch again during the pandemic. I have always been drawn to D.Va, although I switched to Zarya in recent months, and now Zarya is my go-to character whenever I play. I have been looking forward to playing Overwatch 2 as I had high hopes for the game, along with seeing new maps and characters being added.

Playing Overwatch 2 doesn’t feel like that different of a game. I was surprised because when I logged into play, I noticed that there were several characters locked. I had to play a few rounds to unlock some of my favorite characters, and I’m not sure why that was needed. After some searching online, Blizzard locked some of the characters to help ease players into the game, without feeling overwhelmed. I was told by a friend of mine that this may be because my Blizzard account didn’t sync properly, so it’s having me start over by unlocking the characters. I’ll have to look into why that was the case to hopefully save me time. Overwatch does have a lot of characters to choose from, but I don’t see that as being an intimidating feature. I think it’s exposing players to various options and finding the character that best suits their play style.

As far as new characters, there were three new characters included upon release. I have only played Junker Queen so far, and I could see myself playing Junker Queen in future games. I guess I was picturing more new characters than just three on release.

In a general search of Overwatch 2, I’m seeing the common phrase “laziest sequel” being applied. I completely agree. For the length of time in releasing Overwatch 2, I’m surprised that it doesn’t feel any different from the first game. There was a lot of hype regarding Overwatch 2, and I can’t help but find myself let down, considering what my expectations were and the reality of what the game actually is. I will still play it because Overwatch is a comfort game for me, but I wish I had more.

Back in 2005-2006, I used to play an online game called VMK. VMK, also known as Virtual Magic Kingdom, was an online multiplayer game that I used to play all the time growing up. I loved being able to explore Disney Parks, customize my character, and go on quests in various areas of the game. When I heard about Disney’s Dreamlight Valley, it reminded me of VMK. I decided to try it out because it’s available on Xbox Game Pass.

Dreamlight Valley opens with the player being dropped into Dreamlight Valley. Dreamlight Valley looks a bit creepy with these magical thorns overgrowing everywhere. As explained by Merlin, an event called the Forgetting had Disney and Pixar characters forgetting who they were. They retreated into the castle, leaving the rest of the land to be desolate and lonely. Merlin tasks the player to help save the land and clean it up a bit.

Dreamlight Valley relies a lot on quests. As you complete tasks, you can level up. I love games where I can level up my character; it feels rewarding for all the time devoted to playing. As a big Animal Crossing fan, I like customizing my character and my house. One of the first tasks I completed was helping Scrooge McDuck open his shop. From there, I purchased a rainbow gaming PC and a dress for my character to wear because why not?

I didn’t realize the game isn’t out yet. This is apparently the early access version, which you can play if you have access to Xbox Game Pass or if you buy a Founder’s Pack edition of the game. I would love to see more mini-games that could be played to earn coins, gems, or other things to craft with.

Disney Dreamlight Valley has a lot of potential, and I’m curious if any changes will be made to the game by the time it releases in 2023.

I’m notorious for starting video games and then starting another game and not finishing the first one I originally set out to finish. I bought three new video games, even though I have a short pile of games I still need to play. I wanted to share what I have been playing and what’s next on my gaming backlog.

Consoles

One of the new games I bought was LEGO DC Super-Villains on my Nintendo Switch. I love playing this game during the week. I try to play one level or so right before I go to bed. I have always been a fan of LEGO games, as I don’t have to focus all my effort on playing the game. I tend to save some of my more intensive games for weekends.

The other two games I bought were Vampyr and Resident Evil 2. Vampyr is about a doctor who was turned into a vampire and now has to balance saving and taking lives. Resident Evil 2 was remastered. I missed out on playing through the Resident Evil franchise, so I’m happy to see the games revitalized.

I also purchased The Quarry a month ago. It’s good so far, but I felt it was more fitting to play during October since it’s a horror survival game.

PC

Hidden Through Time released three DLC that I have been playing through. The three DLCs are Road to Rome, Aztec Rituals, and Pirate Treasures. My favorite so far is Pirate Treasures. Hidden Through Time is one of my all-time favorite hidden puzzle games. I adore the music, and I like the hint system. The hints don’t give it away, so it’s more rewarding if I find the object I’m looking for. Rogueside, the makers of Hidden Through Time, have a few other games up on Steam that I might check out.

Two other games on my list would be fitting to play in the fall. The first is Pumpkin Jack, where you play as Jack, the mythical pumpkin lord. The other game is Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries of New York. This is a visual novel game based on the Vampire: The Masquerade role-playing game. I have a good selection of games to pick from and play through in the next month or two.

Board Games

The only new game I played recently was Doomlings, which I wrote a review about a few weeks ago. I recently cleaned out and organized my own board game collection. I had a few games collecting dust, and I figured if I wasn’t going to play them, I’d at least donate them to someone who might. I have now opened a free shelf that’s been sitting empty since I did some reorganizing.

Roleplaying

I’m still playing through Curse of Strahd every other Thursday. Our characters recently leveled up, so Levenia (half-elf Blood Hunter) is level #7. Our group is slowly getting stronger and progressing through the city of Barovia. We still have a few side quests to complete before we even think about going after Strahd directly.

Miscellaneous

For a Critical Role update, I’m on episode 91 of Campaign #1. My goal is to finish Vox Machina / Campaign #1 by the end of the year, so I can start listening to Mighty Nein / Campaign #2. I have twenty-two episodes left, and with each episode averaging four hours, I still have quite a bit of content to get through.

In other gaming news, Overwatch 2 has a release date of October 4th. If I were to play, I think I would play on my husband’s Xbox since I pay for Xbox Live already, and I don’t have a PS5 yet.

I’m going to start writing these posts towards the end of the month since I tend to change my gaming interests throughout the month. I’m looking forward to getting back into gaming and playing more horror leading into fall.

My friend sent me a message a few months ago about a game she backed on Kickstarter. Based on what she told me, I thought the game seemed interesting but wasn’t wanting to back the campaign until I played it. After driving to visit her a few weeks ago, she finally broke out her copy of Doomlings, so I could try it out. I was a big fan. Doomlings is a simple card game about outlasting the end of the world.

Doomlings has a fairly simple concept. The goal of the game is to earn the most points at the end of the world. Certain cards have a number on them indicating how many points the card is worth. Some cards are ability cards with no points, or if there is a really good ability card, it might provide minus points because the ability is that good. Several rounds are broken up by catastrophe cards. Catastrophe cards have outcomes on them, so they provide unpredictability to the game. Some catastrophes can help players, while the same catastrophe could harm another player’s board. Each game takes about twenty – four five minutes, which is perfect for a quick game.

Doomlings has some of the cutest art. This reminds me of Unstable Unicorns, the normal edition (not the NSFW edition). The art features these cute creature cards. I found myself taking a picture of a few of my favorites that came up during gameplay.

I had such a time playing Doomlings. I regret not backing it, to begin with. However, Doomlings does have its full selection on the website to order. I’m tempted to order my own copy because I can see my brother really enjoying this game. Doomlings is perfect for anyone who wants a short game that’s extremely easy to learn and teach.

Last weekend, I was playing Adventurer’s League with my Tiefling Paladin, Zehiri. This was the first game where Zehiri was a level #5, meaning she could attack twice. I had a blast being able to not only attack twice but also incorporate a smite into one of my melee attacks for extra damage. As I reflected on the session, I realized I have had quite a few memorable role-playing moments from various sessions I have played in. I wanted to share a few of my favorite roleplaying moments from various types of roleplaying games.

Using a Saxophone as a Weapon – Call of Cthulhu

I played in a one-shot Call of Cthulhu game where our characters were trapped in an “abandoned” asylum. Our characters had nothing as far as weapons, money, or accessories. Our group was investigating the music room before being attacked by supernatural beings. I asked our keeper (Call of Cthulhu terminology for a Dungeon Master) if there was a saxophone in the room. He agreed that there would be. I picked up the saxophone, slung it on my back, and prepared to use it as a club against these beings. It led to a fun conversation about how much damage a saxophone could cause, and it led to our group escaping with our lives. It shows how roleplaying can bring out creativity in both the keeper and the players.

Hellish Rebuke – Takedown of an Ogre – Adventurer’s League

During one of our Adventurer’s League sessions, we were going to rescue hostages from some ogres. As I ran into battle, I was face-to-face with an ogre champion. She swung her club at me and dealt close to twenty damage. I was ready. I had Hellish Rebuke lined up. Hellish Rebuke is a reaction spell that forces the enemy to hit you to make a saving throw. No matter what, the opponent will take damage. The ogre failed her saving throw, and I ended up rolling extremely well. This dealt the last remaining damage needed. One of the items the ogre had was the “Gauntlets of Ogre Power,” which gives the wearer a strength score of 19. The group agreed that I could have the Gauntlets, which have proven useful in future sessions.

Successfully Punching a Nazi – Call of Cthulhu

In this one-shot, our setting was the 1940s, and our characters were on a ship. As our group was investigating disappearances in the crew, I noticed a group of Nazis at the bar. I immediately beelined to them and told our keeper that I wanted to slap one of them. Everyone in our group didn’t think this would go well and was preparing to defend me if needed. I ended up rolling a critical success, much to the keeper’s delight. I was able to slap a Nazi and get away with it.

As I was writing this post, I was flooded with memories of memorable sessions. I’m going to save a few of them for a potential part #2 post.

I felt myself missing playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons. I go through a spurt where I play daily, and then I don’t play for a month or two. I decided to return to MaplePeaks and continue working on beautifying my island. As I logged in, I was reminded that it was my first anniversary of starting Animal Crossing, and I wanted to celebrate by posting photos I had taken in-game.

Before building a full house, there’s a starter tent. I took this photo on one of the first or second days I started playing Animal Crossing. I didn’t have any cute clothes, and my island is filled with weeds. My island has come so far!

One of the most significant aspects of Animal Crossing is catching insects, diving for underwater treasures, and fishing. There’s an encyclopedia that can be filled in, and badges are earned for catching everything. I still have a long way to go to complete the encyclopedia, but I’m for sure halfway through.

In Animal Crossing, there are several buildings you can build. One of those is Nook’s Cranny, a general store of sorts. Right next to Nook’s Cranny is the Museum run by Blathers, an owl wearing a brown sweater. The buildings provide heart to the island and help generate bells, along with donating all the items that can be collected.

Animal Crossing has an Easter event where you can run around the island and collect eggs. The eggs can be used to craft Easter-themed furniture and outfits. I was wearing a green egg dress and shoes while I collected eggs. I hope Animal Crossing has a Halloween-type event because I missed it last year.

To help navigate my island, I can build bridges or inclines to make it easier to hike. This is a photo I took pretty recently. There are several options, but since I want a fall-themed island, the red brick fits my island’s aesthetic. I created a brick pathway to help match the brick stairs to the brick path.

One of the most memorable parts of Animal Crossing is the animal villagers. Genji is featured in this screenshot I took today. Genji is one of my favorites. Genji was one of my first villagers and, for whatever reason, is the villager who most often visits my home.

The last photo is the one that makes me laugh. I love how in Animal Crossing, you can carry whatever you catch in your pocket. I caught a Great White Shark, and I’m just holding it, absolutely no big deal. Every time I look at this photo, it makes me laugh.

Animal Crossing never fails to make me happy. It’s a game that I always get completely lost in.

I have been playing a lot of animal-themed games lately. Earlier this year, I played Donut Country, and now I finished Backbone. Playing as a Raccoon is entertaining, to say the least. Backbone is a neo-noir game focused on a Raccoon PI uncovering corruption at every turn.

Backbone begins with Private Investigator Howard Lotor as he’s preparing to see his first client. He’s greeted by Odette, a well-dressed mouse who’s missing her husband. The case seems pretty standard to Howard. Through Howard’s investigation, he discovered Odette’s husband died under suspicious circumstances. Howard flees in terror and realizes this case may be much more dangerous than he previously thought.

One of the first things I noticed about Backbone was the music. I don’t normally pay attention to music in video games, but the music in Backbone was unsettling. For a game starring animals, I found myself on edge as Howard slinks through the town. There’s a part of the game where Howard is captured, and the music becomes more intense, where I found myself sitting on edge throughout that moment. The music helped capture the neo-noir experience Backbone was going for.

Besides the music, I liked the options throughout the game. For example, Howard is tasked with breaking into a nightclub. He can either go through the back door or go onto the roof. I liked being able to pick and choose how I wanted to proceed through the game. I chose the roof, and that seemed to work out splendidly. Additionally, there are different dialogue options with different characters. Depending on the dialogue options chosen, this can lead to secret achievements being unlocked. I liked that about Backbone because it leaves some replay value to the game.

Backbone was a fun surprise, as I wasn’t expecting to like the game as much as I did. Backbone can be downloaded on Xbox Game Pass or purchased through Steam.

It’s been a bit since I posted a Controllers & Coffee gaming update! This is one of my favorite posts to write because it keeps me accountable and on track with my gaming goals. I wanted to share what I have been playing and what’s next on my gaming backlog.

Consoles

I was planning on 100% completing LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga until my game glitched. It’s unfortunate because I still think this is a fun and well-made game. Since my game glitched, I’m going to move on to play Jedi: Fallen Order. I originally played Jedi: Fallen Order back in 2020 during quarantine, but I never finished it. I’m debating going back to my original save file or starting over and getting the full experience. I’m leaning towards the latter. I can always change my mind and go back to my other unfinished save.

After Jedi: Fallen Order, I could pick up Far Cry 5 again. I’m notorious for starting games and not completing them.

I’m also planning on going through Xbox Game Pass and seeing if there are any games there that I want to play. I like having options depending on what I’m in the mood to play.

PC

I haven’t played any PC games for a while now. Coffee Talk is a great game, but it’s just not enticing me to keep playing. I want to look at either playing through another Nancy Drew game in my Steam library or starting a new game.

Board Games

The only game I played recently was Doctor Who Fluxx, which was a quick and easy-to-learn card game. I’m hoping to host a board game day soon with family and have more updates on this end.

Roleplaying

I’m still playing Curse of Strahd every other Thursday at Badwolf Adventure Studios. I’m loving it! It’s been nice being able to play DnD regularly. Once Curse of Strahd is over, I definitely want to hop into another campaign at Badwolf.

I haven’t been able to play Adventurer’s League in a while, so Zehiri (my Tiefling Paladin) has been left in the dust. I am planning on signing up for a session soon, as I miss it.

I have also been getting back to watching Critical Role Campaign #1, Vox Machina. I took a break when I prioritized Star Wars content last month. I’m on episode #70 right now, which was right after the resurrection of one of the characters who died in battle.

Miscellaneous

As far as gaming news, a new trailer for Stray – the game where you can play as a stray cat was released. I’m a big cat person, so I think this concept is cute. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, the sequel to Jedi Fallen Order, had a trailer drop during Star Wars Celebration. I want to finish Jedi: Fallen Order so I can be prepared when the game releases in 2023.

I’m looking forward to playing Jedi: Fallen Order, getting inspiration from PC gaming, and finding something new to play on Xbox Game Pass. Let me know what you’re playing through in the comments down below.