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’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.
Every time I travel, I like to check out local comic book stores, game stores, or other local geek spots. I like supporting local businesses, and it gives me some familiarity in case I visit again in the future. I wanted to save this post until after I came back from Austin, so I could have my most up-to-date list. These are all of my favorite geek spots throughout the US.
Austin Book & Comics – Austin, Texas
Austin Books & Comics is one of the best comic book stores I have ever visited. This is a big statement to make since I have been to a lot of different shops. Austin Books & Comics was well organized. There were signs over each section that helped make the store easier to navigate. There was also a big manga section, which was impressive. I ended up purchasing two different manga that I’m looking forward to reading.
I have a few friends who want to visit Austin, and if I were to come with them, I would make it a point to visit Austin Books & Comics.
Comicopia – Boston, Massachusetts
Comicopia is a comic book shop right near Fenway Park. It’s located in a beautiful New England-style building. Additionally, they had a local comics section from illustrators and writers from the area. I love it when local stores feature local artists. I also purchased my Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Phil Coulson shirt from this shop that I still wear all the time. This was such a neat store.
Gods & Monsters – Orlando, Florida
Gods & Monsters is a comic book store located near Universal Studios in Orlando. Besides being a comic book store, there’s a bar located in the back called Vault 5421. The above Beholder picture was taken at Vault 5421. I could see Gods & Monsters being a fun place to visit after playing a DnD session with friends. I will say that Vault 5421isn’t very big, so I could see this place getting crowded. When my brother and I visited, we visited a bit earlier, so we had plenty of room to have a drink before it became busy.
Nerdheim – Savannah, Georgia
Nerdheim is a comic book and game store located in the historical shopping district in Savannah, Georgia. Nerdheimhas one of my favorite logos that I have seen from a comic book store. Nerdheim,similar to Austin Books & Comics, is a big retail store. There were several large shelves filled with graphic novels. There was also a pretty significant DnD miniature display along with a section of t-shirts towards the back of the store. Both my husband and I loved visiting Savannah, so we may be back in the future.
Owlbear Cafe – Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
OwlBear Cafe is a board game cafe located in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, which is east of Charleston. I found this place on a whim and was pleasantly surprised. It’s located in this cute shopping area. We stopped here for breakfast before we began our day. I had a breakfast sandwich while my husband had a waffle. In the back is their board game selection. I found Arkham Horror sitting on the shelf, which is one of my all-time favorite board games. I normally don’t buy hoodies from stores, but I couldn’t resist buying a hoodie with the logo on it.
The more I travel, the more likely I am to write a part #2 to this post. If you’re looking for local recommendations, I recommend using Atlas Obscura or typing into Google Maps “comic book store” or “game store,” which is how I found these shops.
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.
The first photo I ever took! Screenshot taken by me.
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!
Screenshot taken by me.
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.
Screenshot taken by me.
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 Crannyis 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.
Screenshot taken by me.
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.
Screenshot taken by me.
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.
Screenshot taken by me.
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.
Screenshot taken by me.
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 RoleCampaign #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.
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.
Summer is in full swing, and I couldn’t be more thrilled. I love the sun, the smell of sunscreen, and not needing a jacket every time I go outside. With the end of May, it comes my annual “May the 4th Be With You” recap. This month didn’t go exactly as I had planned, but I still think it was a great month, regardless.
Books and Comics
Unfortunately, I never received the rest of my Barnes & Noble order. I ended up missing Master & Apprentice by Claudia Gray, Leia, Princess of Alderaan, and Star Wars: Darth Vader Volume #1. The only book that arrived was Resistance Reborn by Rebecca Roanhorse. It’s unfortunate because I wanted to have a big reading month, and it didn’t work out.
Resistance Reborn takes place between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker. The book centers around recruiting former allies to fight for the Resistance on an action-packed mission. Poe, leader of the Black Squadron, is tasked with retrieving a Resistance prisoner list and breaking a prisoner out of a secure First Order facility.
Resistance Reborn was an enjoyable read. I will say there was a lot of story build-up. For some, this might be boring to read, but I liked the information and context. The last 100 pages are where the action intensified. I rated Resistance Reborn three and a half stars on Goodreads.
Regarding comics, I only finished Star Wars: Princess Leia Volume #1. I have the complete run of Star Wars: Poe Dameron to read, but I didn’t finish it in May like I thought I would. I’m looking forward to the coming months because I have fewer weekends booked solid like I did in May. I’m hoping for some free Saturday mornings to read comics.
Movies & TV
I’m sad to say that I didn’t finish The Clone Wars. I did watch The Clone Wars on my drive to and from Milwaukee, so that helped. I’m now on season #3. I’m determined to finally finish the show by the end of the year. I didn’t get to re-watch The Mandalorian or re-watch The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, or The Rise of Skywalker. I still feel accomplished for the month, and I’m invested in watching more Star Wars content by the end of the year.
Gaming
I did play through LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga; however, my game glitched!! I am on the last episode, The Rise of Skywalker, and I’m forever stuck in light speed traveling to the next level. I looked on Reddit, and apparently, if you accept a cargo side mission, the cargo doesn’t load at light speed, so you have to complete the cargo mission, and it should fix the glitch. The problem is that I have no idea what cargo mission I accepted. I would have to go back and go through every individual side mission to figure out which one I accepted. Plus, this isn’t a guaranteed fix. There were some comments where players did this, and it still didn’t fix the glitch.
I have invested so much time in this game, and I’m so sad that I can’t even finish the story. The only hope I have is if a patch is released that will fix my game save. I’m not willing to go through all the effort listed above and have it not work. I’m going to discontinue playing through the game, which is such a bummer.
Since I’m done playing through LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, I’m going to go back to Jedi: Fallen Order. I played through the game back in 2020, and I never finished it. I’m going to start over and devote the time to finishing the game.
Miscellaneous Star Wars Content
I’m adding a section for the “miscellaneous” Star Wars content that I listened to or discovered this month. Thanks to Anakin + His Angel, I discovered the YouTube channel, Always Believe. Always Believe is hosted by Ash and Bryan, who share their love of Star Wars, Disney, and Marvel. I love their channel! I’m genuinely excited to see when they release a new video, and I like listening to their videos while I do various chores or tasks throughout the day.
While I’m at work, I discovered two Star Wars podcasts to help me get through the day. The first is Force Toast Podcast. Force Toast is hosted by Alyce and Laura, and they are based in Chicago. They talk about Star Wars content and Star Wars trivia over a drink. The other Star Wars podcast I found was Star Wars STUFF. This is more of a Star Wars news podcast versus Force Toast being a casual Star Wars chat. Both podcasts I can see myself listening to throughout the coming months.
Overall, I think this was a successful Star Wars month despite some challenges I had. Let me know what Star Wars content you’re reading or loving in the comments down below.
I love listening to Dungeons & Dragons or TTRPG podcasts. The frustrating part about them, however, is getting lost within the story. Each podcast has so much world-building that I find if I’m not paying attention to every second, I might miss something. Some podcasts may have a recap before each episode, while others have opted out of that altogether. I wanted to share what’s been working for me to keep everything straight in the podcasts I have been listening to.
I started this with Critical Role specifically. I started keeping a Google Doc per campaign where I write down my favorite moments, key NPCs (non-playable characters created by the Dungeon Master), and memorable bits from each episode. I started this Google Doc last year and kept up with it even when Critical Role began airing campaign #3. It’s been fun keeping a record of moments I don’t want to forget, and it’s helped me get into the world that’s being created. This document is now eleven pages long! This includes moments from campaigns #1 and #3, so I may end up breaking them apart into two separate documents.
If anyone else is a fan of roleplaying podcasts, I currently have a Google Doc created for both campaigns #2 and #3 from NADDPOD and campaign #1 and campaign #3 of Critical Role. I’m happy to share them if anyone is interested.
Bizarre Brunette 