August Roundtable: Time Management

August Roundtable: Time Management

August in the Northern Hemisphere means we’re both in the hottest part of the year (in a year that’s already been scorching) and in the wind-down of summer. Speaking only for myself, I’m both longing for cooler, rainier days and already mourning the departure of the long days. What does any of this have to do with gaming? Well, I feel compelled to make each of my days count—meaning I need time management.

This month, we’re talking about time management mechanics in games. Do they make us feel rushed and stressed? Purposeful and focused? Let’s find out. (more…)

November Roundtable: Harvesting

November Roundtable: Harvesting

Welcome to November! Our weather here in the Pacific Northwest went straight from blisteringly hot summer to frozen ground and rain. Though the rapid climate shift left my head spinning, the cold, crisp air has me craving apple cider and pumpkin pie, which are perfectly in theme with this month’s roundtable: harvesting. (more…)

September Roundtable: Changing Seasons

September Roundtable: Changing Seasons

I can’t speak for the whole of Sidequest, but when I feel the first day of crisp autumn air or see the first morning with a dusting of frost, something changes in me. The transitory seasons are where it’s at, in my opinion, and while games may not have mastered the art of pumpkin-flavored everything or the itchiness of spring allergies, they nonetheless have done a pretty good job of exploring the beauty of seasonal changes. This month, we’re talking about gaming seasons—the literal and the figurative.

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Review: Enjoy the Pastoral Fantasy of Beecoming a Beekeeper in APICO

Review: Enjoy the Pastoral Fantasy of Beecoming a Beekeeper in APICO

I’m both a sucker for a cozy crafting sim and an aspiring beekeeper to boot, so I couldn’t resist APICO, a beekeeping simulator from TNgineers and Whitethorn Games, whose Steam tagline is “Stress-free games for nervous people.” How could I resist the promise of something stress-free and targeted at me, a nervous person?

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Exploring My Queerness in Pelican Town

Exploring My Queerness in Pelican Town

Stardew Valley is a farming and life simulation game created by Eric Barone (ConcernedApe). The player plays as someone who leaves their soul-crushing job at a big corporation, Joja, to take over the farm their grandfather left them in his will. What sets Stardew Valley apart is how deep the story is. There are many secrets to unlock about the town while befriending, and potentially romancing, the NPCs. Yes, farming is fun. And there are other activities like mining and repairing the town’s Community Center with the help of some forest spirits called Junimos. But you don’t have to do any of that. If you want to just run around and befriend everyone you can do that too. (more…)