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No Consoles, No Kids

December 01, 2025

kids and gaming

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Mafia: The Old Country [REVIEW]

The Mafia series is one I've mostly missed over its now quarter-century run. But after recently playing the excellent remake of Mafia I, I was excited to get my hands on the newest entry, The Old Country. Right away, the game feels familiar to the remake. It looks great, and on my Xbox Series X, it played just fine. I'm not one to nitpick technical issues, especially minor ones that seem to fix themselves with a simple restart (looking at you, Quick Resume). Here is my 10-point breakdown of the game. Story - 8/10 The story is a slow burn through the first half, which makes for a stellar final few hours. The second half of the game truly soars, but it could have used a bit more oomph earlier on. The setup ultimately helps the ending, but the early stages feel a bit too low-stakes. The tension in the relationship between Enzo and Isabella is light until it isn't. Ultimately, your patience will pay off, making the purchase worth it. Objectives - 8/10 You'll spend most of y...

Hans Capon Replaces Theresa in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

This is an early impression of a part of the game (about 30 hours in). As Kingdom Come: Deliverance II's (KCD2) romantic elements begin to emerge, the game places a noticeable emphasis on interactions with Sir Hans Capon. This feels similar to the persistent encouragement to engage with Theresa in KCD1. Just as repeated trips to Theresa advanced that storyline, Capon becomes a focal point of story beats and romantic development in KCD2. The game actively encourages this "romance," with clear cues like heart icons and suggestive dialogue. This dynamic isn't widely discussed in early reviews, and organic player discussions have been relatively sparse since launch. The Capon situation feels like a forced choice. The game provides numerous opportunities for romantic interactions, starting with the heart icon option after leaving Trosky. This creates a sense of pressure, particularly for players who romanced Theresa in KCD1 or for straight players, who might feel compel...

Outer Worlds 2 off to a Slow Start

I have a real soft spot for games that helped me through the pandemic, and for me, that game was The Outer Worlds. It’s clear I wasn't alone in falling for its satirical charm and RPG mechanics. Looking purely at True Achievements data (which tracks Xbox players), the original game has a massive player count of 375,000. That puts it in some truly good company, sitting alongside major releases like Cyberpunk 2077 and Rise of the Tomb Raider in terms of recorded player engagement. The jump to the new title, The Outer Worlds 2, however, has been a much quieter affair. While the first game is a certified hit, the sequel is still trying to find its footing. A little over a week post-launch, it is currently sitting at less than 54,000 players on True Achievements. I’ve been keeping a close watch, and the numbers are edging up a bit, but I have a sinking feeling this crucial launch window might be where the game loses steam. A major concern is the sheer volume of other game releases conti...

Five Issues with EA Sports FC 25 Career Mode

Putting the final nail in EA Sports FC 25's Career Mode as 26 launches here in about a month. After logging over 240 hours of playtime - which includes some daughter time and talking with my wife while on pause - I have a lot to say about this game's Career Mode. This list compiles my informal thoughts on the career mode in this version and what is hopefully addressed in future versions. My relationship with EA Sports FC ("FIFA") as a player... It works as a sort of meditation or break from work or anything else going on in my life. It even serves as a palette cleanser for other video games (particularly bad ones). It has been this way for much of my adult life. ------------ Electronic Arts Football Club 2025 Issues Summer 2025 1. User Interface & Immersion Pre-Game Kit Selection: Simplify the kit selection process to a single button press to access kit options, reducing unnecessary menu navigation. Main Menu/Home Screen: De-clutter the home screen, creating a ...

The Run of Games that has Ended Xbox as a Console

I've begun examining data from TrueAchievements (TA), a large and active community that tracks extensive gaming data. I believe this data can offer valuable insights into the performance and engagement levels of recent games (among other metrics). In the table below, I've teased out a few things that I will describe: 1. Release Date: I'm focusing on games released within approximately the last calendar year (to capture a period I believe highlights the current struggles for Xbox). 2. Max Achievement: This metric tracks the highest number of times a single Xbox achievement has been earned in a game. Since the first achievement is often earned minutes into the game (e.g., "Welcome to the Game"), it serves as a proxy for the total number of people who started the game. While it doesn't provide precise sales figures, it allows for strong comparative analysis against older titles. 3. Total Achievement: This is the raw sum of every achievement claimed by the comm...

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