Spending Time Offline - Oct & November 2025

Welcome Message

We're talking games and spending time outside this month. Thanks for sticking with me.

This Month’s Games

This was another couple light months for streaming. But I still was able to check out a decent amount of games off stream. As always, reply to this email to let me know if you’d like to hear more thoughts about any of the games that I’ve been playing!

On Stream

Duck Detective 2

I got to play this for my birthday stream and it definitely lived up to the first game. Eugene is still doing the most but now he also has a roommate (Freddy Frederson from the first game). This time, you’re solving the mystery of a haunted island. It’s a short game, taking up just 2-3 hours, but it’s a solid way to spend part of an afternoon. I don’t want to spoil too much, but expect a new cast of personalities, a truly wild mystery, and (again) not being able to send no one to jail. I know it’s a detective game, but still. I wanna be able to not send someone to jail at the end as an option.

Check it out here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2714620/Duck_Detective_The_Ghost_of_Glamping/​

Hades 2

I’ve spent probably too much time on this game since it dropped out of early access. I haven’t done the new “true ending” yet, but I’m planning to soon. On stream, we just did a few different runs, testing out different weapons and learning more about the different characters populating this world.

I don’t like Melinoe as much as I like Zagreus but this is still a solid game. Combat wise, there are some improvements in this game that I really appreciate. The music is also super good. I’m curious to see what they changed in the new “true ending.” I hope it gives Melinoe more of an active role than in the original ending.

Check it out here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1145350/Hades_II/​

On My Own

Silksong

This game is kicking my butt lol. I’ve been excited about Silksong since it was announced years ago. I’ve been slowly making my way through it on Playstation and it feels so much more punishing than the original game. I’m hoping to still be able to finish it, but honestly, it’ll probably be a while for me. I’ve gotten to a point in the game where I’ve got a bunch of different bosses that I need to fight and every single one of them is just better than me right now.

The world is beautiful, the music is fantastic, but man, the game does not wish success for me lol. Have yall checked it out yet? What do you think?

Lil Gator Game

This game was precious. It follows the adventures of a younger sibling trying to reclaim the feeling of playing made up games with their older sibling and slowly realizing that seasons change and people grow up. It’s about learning to appreciate the fun that you’re having with the friends around you and not just focusing on the people who aren’t there to enjoy it. And it’s about remembering that sometimes we need time to take a break and spend time with the people around us instead of always just locking in and finishing the next project.

I highly recommend it and there will be DLC launching for the game next year!

Buy it here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1586800/Lil_Gator_Game/​

Idle Games

I continue to add to my collection of idle games and over the last 2 months I added Tiny Aquarium and Cast n Chill to my library. Tiny Aquarium takes the desktop aquarium idea and adds the ability to visit your friends’ aquariums. Cast n Chill is an idle and active fishing game that might honestly be one of the most beautiful games that I’ve played this year.

South of Midnight

The story in this game is beautiful (even though I’m upset about one major plot point). I loved learning about the world that the characters live in. My heart broke for many of the the stories that the writers explored. If I’m honest, the game mechanics are where the game falters a bit for me. I didn’t love the combat system and there were a few times where some of the controls just didn’t work the way that I think they were intended to.

The game’s strength is in the way that it moves through the world. I would highly, highly recommend checking it out. There are story beats that still haunt me, but it is worth experiencing Hazel’s journey to becoming a Weaver.

Absolum

This was a surprise addition to my game library. Absolum is a beat em up roguelite that supports up to 2 player co-op. (Devs, if you ever see this, can we have 4 player?). I’m still in the very early stages of making it through the game, a bit stuck at the end of the second area. The undead king and I are not friends. The art is beautiful and I’m looking forward to seeing more of the world and how the story ends up.

I really like playing as Karl and I’m excited to unlock the other available characters. This game plays great with a friend through Steam’s online coop. It doesn’t look like there is the ability to play over Steam Remote Play at the time of writing.

Lil Thoughts - Spending Time Offline

I’m sure folk have noticed, but I haven’t been online nearly as much as I have been over the last few years. I’ve been getting involved with my local library, reading, playing solo games or games with friends in Discord, making more time for in-person friends, and recently started hiking as well. Being outside, I’m realizing, is incredibly important for me. I’m excited for spring time (and maybe a couple days where I brave the cold) so that I can go on some more day hikes. Shoutout to the YouTube channel, Adventure Archives, for inspiring me to spend more time outdoors.

I’d recommend finding ways to connect with your local area if it’s safe to do so. I still love streaming and want to start making YouTube videos again, but I think I’m realizing that I don’t want to spend as much time on my computer or in front of a stream as I have in the past. I want to keep creating, but I don’t want to do so just to add videos or writing to the non-stop creation machine. I want to make things that matter to me and I think that taking time away from the computer allows me more space to see what that looks like. I’d encourage you to find some time to do the same. As I’ve said in other newsletters, what we make matters. It’s important for us to put things out in the world that we are proud of. It’s important to add good to the world. I’m figuring out what that looks like for me and I’m excited to dive into it over the winter. (Kind of hoping it helps me make it through a season that I don’t historically get along with).

Ending

See yall next month.

Keep telling stories. Keep creating. You are important for the world that we want to create. I look forward to continuing to build a better world and better stories for us all. Thank you for joining me on this journey. I’ll see y’all around the Internet.