Video Games – Page 7 – Ms. Bella's World

3–5 minutes

Over the course of the Summer Showcase and various other game showcases, I noticed a baffling trend. It’s not the first time I’ve seen it, but it’s the first time I’ve really paid attention to it. This trend involves one group of people trashing another group’s console or platform of choice. Whether it’s Xbox vs. PlayStation, or console vs. PC, the rivalry can get surprisingly intense and often detracts from the enjoyment of gaming itself.

Wondering how far back this went, I did a simple look up on YouTube for the term ‘why do console gamers hate pc gamers?’ I found videos going back almost a decade, with titles like ‘Why I hate PC gaming Part 4: Why Console and Capcom is tha bezt!’, ‘Why Do Console Gamers Hate PC Gamers’, and ‘Lies that Console Fanboys Say About PC Gaming’.

Looking up the term ‘why do Nintendo players hate Xbox’ brought a more mixed bag of results, ranging from ‘Hate Comments – XBox vs. Playstation Fanboys’ and various titles comparing Nintendo Switch to Playstation 5.

This year alone, people have been heavily criticizing both the Xbox and PlayStation showcases. I missed the Playstation showcase, not having much interest in what they’re offering after the whole kerfuffle with Helldivers 2 and Sony requiring a PSN account to play the game on PC. I’m not even certain that’s been fully resolved. As for the Xbox showcase, it featured a couple of potential hits, such as Doom: The Dark Ages and State of Decay 3. And those were just two of many good announcements.

Of course, Nintendo had its own showcase just three days ago, featuring some of their classic franchises, from Mario & Luigi Brothership to remasters of Donkey Kong Country Returns and Dragon Quest 3. Once again, it was a full plate of offerings that almost makes me want to get a Switch. Almost.

All I saw was a whole slew of potentially great games from different developers and for different gaming platforms. To me, this should be great news for gamers of all stripes. So why do people spend their precious time and energy criticizing how and on what others choose to engage with the hobby of gaming?

There are key psychological and social factors that may contribute to this intense rivalry.

One factor could be the strong identification gamers often feel with their chosen console or PC. They invest not just money and time, but also emotions into their gaming experiences. These investments lead to the formation of like-minded communities around specific consoles, fostering a deep sense of belonging.

Another significant cause is brand loyalty. Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony actively cultivate brand loyalty through marketing, community engagement, and, to a lesser extent now, exclusive games. Gamers who have positive experiences with one brand over another often become fiercely loyal and defensive of their choice, even in the face of criticism.

PC gamers also exhibit brand loyalty, often centering around preferences for parts manufacturers (Intel vs. AMD vs. NVIDIA) and gaming platforms (Steam vs. Epic vs. GOG). This topic alone could be a completely separate post!

Of course, there’s likely a healthy dose of nostalgia involved, often stemming from what console someone played during childhood. These rose-colored glasses can lead to a lifelong preference. I know that I, for one, will always view the Atari 2600 quite fondly, as I grew up with it, though it’s objectively very outdated now.

All that aside, it still baffles me how a group of people can hate the choices of other people so much that they feel the need to crap all over everything they love on a regular basis. It’s sort of pointless.

I prefer gaming on PC. It’s something I’ve done regularly since 1997 when Diablo came out. Regarding consoles, I’ve owned a few over the years: the SNES, which holds a special place for me, the Wii (still in my possession), and a Game Boy Color and Nintendo DS, both of which I may still have tucked away.

However, I think if someone enjoys playing on the Xbox or the PS5, more power to them. If they prefer Nintendo, great. If they play on a top of the line PC, a brand new Steam Deck, or an old laptop, fantastic!

At the end of the day, we’re all participating in the same hobby – video games. And that should be enough to bring us together.

3–4 minutes

Well, good morning! I hope you’re doing well.

In a recent livestream, I intended to play through three or four demos for games mentioned in Steam’s Summer Showcase. I had an idea of the ones I was going to play and a bit of a plan.

However, that all went out the window when I started playing the first demo. It was a mixture of strategy and city building, with a bit of RPG thrown in for good measure. It had a fun art style, quirky characters, and interesting mechanics.

By the time the stream was over, I was sold on the game and wondering exactly when in Q3 2024 the game would be released into Early Access.

That game is Airborne Empire.

The sequel to Airborne Kingdom, by The Wandering Band LLC, Airborne Empire expands on the original concept with the inclusion of combat, raising the stakes for you and your tiny floating city.

I began with a core piece—the town center—floating above the land, accompanied by the narrator’s musings on reviving the airborne kingdoms of old. During the 2-ish hours I played, I gathered materials, built houses for my residents, assisted ground towns with repairs, and set up defenses against surprise pirate attacks.

I initially struggled, finding the tutorial somewhat lacking. It took some tinkering and rereading to figure things out. While players of the original game might not face this issue, new players like myself could find it frustrating. So in that aspect, it would be nice to see the tutorial expanded upon.

Once I grasped the mechanics, I was hooked on creating my unique floating city. I built houses for my little residents. I learned to beware of tilt, lest my city become unstable and make the residents unhappy enough to leave. I figured out how to gather materials, found food and water, and how to move my city.

The first town I came across was friendly towards me, a bit in awe of the little flying city and desperate for help. They’d recently been attacked by pirates and needed materials to repair. So, off I went to gather what they needed, grateful that these materials were close by and easy to gather and bring back. After all, we were small and didn’t have a lot of weight we could carry.

By the end of the demo, I found myself amazed that over two hours had passed. It hadn’t felt that way, and I was sad to end my stream. I wanted to continue, learn more about this avian-type society and their obsession with the flying cities. I wanted to find out who these pirates were and why they kept attacking.

I wanted to build more city!

On the Steam page, the description of the game reads:

“Build your sky city while exploring a vast landscape in this Open World RPG City Builder. Combining the methodical construction and management of a city builder; the unique lift, balance, and propulsion needed for a flying city; and the compelling characters, dangers, and adventures of an RPG!” — Description of Airborne Empire from the Steam page.

My guess is the game will come out at around $30, as Airborne Kingdom is on Steam for $24.99. Though, if you head over to Steam before June 17th, 2024, it’s on sale for $9.99.

From what I can tell, the biggest differences between the two games are the graphics and the combat. The first game is pretty, though I prefer the looks of the sequel, and there isn’t any combat in the first one. The second game, with its combat, adds an extra layer of challenge and the need to strategize not only your inhabitants’ happiness but their safety too.

A little extra challenge sounds fantastic!

After playing the demo, I would definitely recommend this game to people who enjoy a little story, strategic gameplay without micromanagement, and the challenge of defending your hard-earned empire from enemies.

Check it out on Steam while the demo is live and look forward to seeing it on my channel when I can pick up a copy after release.

Happy flying!

Until next time, bye for now!