The Sunday Scroll: Adrian Edmondson, Cuddly Behemoths, and Raptor School
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
This week's digital deep dive, inspired by Rock Paper Shotgun's Mark Warren, uncovers everything from players forming emotional bonds with their 'cuddly' in-game Behemoths to the tactical brilliance of a 'DinosauRPG' where raptors scheme, plus a quick detour into real-world community activism and improbable sports wins.
Right then, lads and lasses, gather 'round! Every Sunday, it feels like I accidentally open a portal to a slightly wonky corner of the internet, and out tumble a bunch of stories that are just too fascinating to ignore. Mark Warren over at Rock Paper Shotgun, bless his digital soul, has this knack for rounding up 'The Sunday Papers' – a collection of the web's finest scribblings, often about games, sometimes about sports (don't ask), and occasionally about topics that genuinely make you pause and think.
This week, his intro involved Adrian Edmondson's planet-sized head demanding entertainment, which, frankly, sounds like a Tuesday for me after one too many late-night patch downloads. So, I figured, why not hop on his surreal space-train and dig into some of the treasures he unearthed? Consider this my rummage through the cosmic couch cushions of the internet, bringing you the bits that spark the old brain-juice.
First up, something that scratches that deep, primal gaming itch: faction choice based on pure, unadulterated *vibes*. See, this is the kind of deeply personal, slightly unhinged logic that I absolutely adore in gaming. We're not talking about DPS numbers or optimal build paths here, mate. We're talking about the emotional resonance of your pixelated army. Jasmine Gould-Wilson, writing for GamesRadar, took a peek at the *Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era* Next Fest demo, and her decision-making process for choosing a faction? Pure poetry.
It's all about whether your faction's strongest beastie is 'cool or cuddly enough' to make you want to either *be* one or *hug* one. Fair dinkum, who hasn't looked at a massive, clawed monster and thought, 'Aww, he's just a big softie, really'? She picked Stronghold in *Heroes 3* because Behemoths were her 'babies.' And honestly, if you can't form an emotional bond with your giant, pixelated death-dealers, are you even truly playing? This isn't just a quirky anecdote; it taps into something fundamental about how we engage with strategy games. It’s not just about cold, hard stats; it’s about the narrative we build in our heads, the emotional attachment to our digital warriors. It's the difference between a unit and a *character*, even if that character is a lumbering, toothy Behemoth. What does that say about game design, eh? That sometimes, the most effective 'mechanic' isn't in the code, but in the player's heart.
Now, before we dive back into the digital trenches, a quick detour. Mark's roundup wasn't *all* games, bless his eclectic heart. He even threw in a yarn about the Seattle Mariners baseball team. Now, I'm no sportsball expert – my tactical acumen is usually reserved for deciding whether to spec into arcane or fire magic – but even I can appreciate a good underdog story. Kathryn Xu over at Defector spun a tale of the Mariners pulling off an utterly improbable comeback, going from 'Milhousey day of daysness' (love that phrase, honestly!) to a convincing series lead against all odds. It's got that same chaotic energy as when your low-HP party member somehow crits for lethal damage against the final boss. You know, the kind of moment that makes you lean back and just go, 'Bloody hell, how'd *that* happen?' A nice little reminder that sometimes, life, like a particularly grindy RPG, throws you a curveball, and you just gotta swing for the fences.
Right, let's shift gears slightly, because sometimes the most important stories aren't about pixels, but about people navigating the very real world that gives pixels meaning. Mark's collection included a series from The Verge, exploring the future for trans people on the internet. Specifically, Sydney Bauer’s piece, which zeroes in on musicians like punk band Ekko Astral using their platforms for mutual aid – asking fans to chip in a few quid at the merch table for someone's medical bills.
This might seem a step away from our usual gaming chatter, but honestly, it resonated with me. Think about it: isn't this the very essence of a strong community? Whether it's a gaming guild rallying to help a member, or content creators using their reach for good, it's about people using shared spaces and passions to uplift each other. The observation from Holzman about artists, especially trans artists, being acutely aware of tenuous healthcare access, and thus primed to use mutual aid? That's cleverly observant stuff. It highlights how digital platforms, which we often associate with entertainment, can become vital lifelines. It’s a powerful reminder that behind every screen name, every avatar, there’s a human story. And the best communities – gaming or otherwise – are the ones that remember that. It's about empowering people, and if a punk band can do it, imagine what a massive gaming platform *could* do.
Okay, now for something that screams 'Jeff's next obsession': *Clever Girls*. Alyssa Wejebe's column for Unwinnable dug into this absolute gem – a 'turn-based DinosauRPG' with a demo out on Steam. You know that iconic 'Clever girl' moment from *Jurassic Park* where the Australian bloke gets ambushed? Yeah, the dev, Goglin, literally built a game around that concept. It’s a tactical, stealth-focused turn-based game where the raptors are smart enough for complex relationship drama *and* pack hunting strategies. Bloody brilliant!
This isn't just 'dinosaurs fighting'; it's 'dinosaurs who can plot and scheme and maybe even have a bit of a tiff over who gets the tastiest leg of goat.' This is precisely the kind of genuinely innovative indie game that gets my digital wizard senses tingling. Taking a beloved pop culture moment, mixing it with deep tactical gameplay, and then layering on character relationships? That's the stuff of legends, mate. It asks 'what if' in the most delightful way, pushing the boundaries of what a turn-based RPG can be. It's not just a game; it's an intelligent simulation of prehistoric cunning and camaraderie. And it sounds like exactly the sort of game that serves players by giving them something genuinely fresh and engaging, rather than just another re-skin.
So there you have it – another week, another weird and wonderful collection of thoughts from the internet's digital ether. From cuddly Behemoths inspiring faction choices to tactical raptor drama, and even a quick nod to real-world community building, it's a bloody smorgasbord, isn't it? It just goes to show you, mate, that if you're willing to poke around in the dark corners of the web, you'll always find something fascinating. Sometimes it's a game that makes you rethink strategy, sometimes it's a story that reminds you of the power of human connection, and sometimes it's just Adrian Edmondson staring at you. The important thing is to keep looking, keep questioning, and keep finding the magic in the mayhem. Because in this wild, chaotic digital landscape, there’s always another story waiting to blow your mind.
This dive into the week's digital delights was inspired by Mark Warren's 'The Sunday Papers' over at Rock Paper Shotgun. Cheers for the cosmic nudge, mate!
Tags: gaming news, indie games, strategy RPG, game design, community
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun