Like a challenging game there’s a sense of achievement with each passing week and finished task whilst raising a child. A successful feed then getting E off to sleep has the same sense of accomplishment as concluding a level and defeating the boss. In week three this ‘level’ is starting to get a little monotonous, like a repetitive combat or platforming mechanic that wears you down and makes you think about playing something else.
We’re all alive but tired, agitated and aching for a beer. OK that last point might just be me.
SOMA is full of interactive objects
I think it’s time to play #Soma others think it’s baby bath time. Currently tweeting whilst running a bath. They win this time. #dadlife
— Ben Nother (@nova_47) July 16, 2016
Soma is a game I’ve wanted to play since its release. An atmospheric first person horror game that friends have really enjoyed. I was looking forward to experiencing the narrative driven exploratory elements and the tense traversal through the world. I picked it up for the ridiculous price of £4 on the PSN sale but having to clean a small person was a more pressing task than being able to play on purchase. I’ve waited this long to play I suppose I can wait a little more.
Cannot wait to sit in my own piss and vomit rather than the babies. @theomniarch let’s do this. https://t.co/lGlmabZqrU
— Ben Nother (@nova_47) July 18, 2016
OK! I’ve never really sat in either of those nor think I’d enjoy that.
We’re doing so well with E that I felt I’d have the opportunity to podcast again. It’s one of my favourite things to do, bar gaming, so I was itching even after only 2 weeks to get back into it. This was only possible however with the help of Kim’s mum coming around to help Kim with a sickly, agitated E. I felt bad that I’d left them to do all the baby work for 2 hours and E let me know her thoughts as you can hear her crying through most of the recording. It was great to get back into recording again and discuss games over a beer to then jump back into dad life.
A Pokéstop near work and continually dead servers
Thinking about Kim & E at home on my first day back at work. Then thought about PokeGo, opened & discovered a pokestop across road. #wining
— Tanked UP (@TankedUP_cast) July 18, 2016
Normally whilst working my mind wanders to gaming. But for my first morning back at work all I thought about was how the two of them were getting on. My mind was consumed with what they may be doing although in reality it was probably only feeding, sleeping and watching Netflix. Once my morning had past and I’d decided on what podcast to catch up on first of the last two weeks I started to think of games. On lunch I opened Pokémon Go. Boom! The pub over the road is a pokéstop and there are three gyms in a 2 minute walk. I’ll still think about Kim and E constantly but at least I can do that in the company of digital critters.
Quick my child’s asleep boot up #Soma
— Tanked UP (@TankedUP_cast) July 20, 2016
False alarm, she’s awake. At least i managed to see the #Soma loading screen, some exposition and walk around a flat.
— Tanked UP (@TankedUP_cast) July 20, 2016
Almost, almost. I was so close to playing. Since that evening I have also left the flat, walked through an office and sat in a chair. I think that’s about 4 minutes of the game over three evenings. Good going for my current situation. Like Furi the pause button is mine and E’s best friend.
Your flat in SOMA is on the small side
Lovely sweet nose with a smooth and light hoppy taste – Drinking a Claudia @ Tanked UP Towers – https://t.co/J9z1JlW0uZ#photo
— Tanked UP (@TankedUP_cast) July 20, 2016
A beer, finally a beer. Gearing up to host Tanked Up after a short break so decided to have one of the beers I’d bought for the episode the night before recording. I’ve only drank one beer here and there since the birth so, as alluded to above, I thought recording may get a little messy. Suffice to say my head whilst writing the morning after recording feels fine.
I was going to enjoy this beer whilst playing Soma but a small cry and the need to be comforted won out. It was a good hoppy and wheaty beer though.
Although some of the mechanics in the game of life are repetitive this is definitely one ‘level’ I cannot stop playing. Like a piece of new gear or adding a newly discovered character to your party the little smiles, crazy floppy body dances and the dead stares into your soul are reward enough.
