I’ve hesitated to write another one of these posts, half so I can catch up on other projects in the works, and half because of a dilemma I’ve been running into. I started up this blog gain to start talking about things I enjoy. And while AI and game trends are subjects I find fun to explore in writing, I realize that I’ve gravitated to making critiques and introspections instead. Is it just a state of mind, or a state of the times?
Almost anywhere I look on the mainstream internet, critique has started to feel like a default. I guess it could be because of how harshly people are judged online over the things they associate with; with that context, it’s easy to see how groups would habitually draw away from things they would otherwise speak positively about. As much as I personally enjoy carefully picking things apart from various angles, I set out the goal of doing more positive writing for all of the reasons above. When social media feeds are just a torrent of negativity and criticism, how hard is it to go against the grain? It takes not just a conscious effort, but also a lot of looking outside of the box. And perhaps a little courage, too.
Recently I’ve been exploring games that are either from overseas, long-forgotten, or tightly hidden away in a niche. They give off a whole different vibe from the waves of indies I currently find on my feed, and they’ve done wonders to remind me of what got me into my current hobbies to begin with. But that’s not to say new western releases have lacked that particular vibe, either. Laika: Aged Through Blood was one such game earlier this year that really harkened back to a forgotten era, and tackled a genre which I had been waiting to see done well.
See what I mean? That last paragraph could’ve easily slipped into the negatives again. It comes naturally after a time. And that’s why I think it’s worthwhile for anyone who uses social media to keep tabs (or breaks!) every once in a while. I wouldn’t dare to call criticism or negativity ‘toxic’, but I don’t think that habitual criticism is healthy either. Positive thoughts on the ‘net are in much shorter supply, and are just as enjoyable to share – granted that you’re not intimidated by the grumpy ‘doom-scrollers’ who’ll impolitely disagree with you.
Ironically, this post too is a critique of being critical. I’m aiming to make it the last of its kind for a little while. When I do get back to writing more gaming trend hot takes, it will be all measured, thoughtful and intentional. I think I owe that much to my modest audience and myself.
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