gamer.tv

I played all of Death Stranding with a podcast or extended Youtube content on the go. It made the less fun elements surprisingly pleasant. I use that approach for any open world game now, which has a large amount of aimless walking or side quests which require barely any concentration.

Forgive the weird distances (it's based on a rugby pitch), but this is my session tomorrow morning. Afterwards hopefully going to the beach to walk the dog and do some sea swimming. Warm Up: 5 minute continuous jog Pyramid (only jogging, but with an increase of pace pushing off the line) Circuit 1 (40s work, 20s rest) Tap press ups (press up position, tap right shoulder with left hand, then left shoulder etc, then press up) Side-step squats (big stride one way, squat and then back the other way) Diamond Press ups (make a diamond with your hand, smash out a press up) Wide grip press up (arms as wide as you can hold, half down, hold for a count of 5 and then back up) Jump-burpees (standing jump forward, complete a burpee, complete a reverse standing jump, complete a burpee) Conditioning 1: (40s work, 20s rest) Malcolms (start on the half way line, down to a quick press up and up (down-up), then backwards to the 10m line, down-up, sprint to the far 10m, down-up and then backwards to the half way line). Repeat 4 times total. Circuit 2: As before, but 30s work, 30s rest Conditioning 2: Boxes (the main rationale is your jog along the length and sprint along the width - start in a corner and jog along to the 22m line, turn and sprint across to the far line then return back to jogging until you reach the corner and sprint again - so you should only sprint about 100m total, per part, but the length of the jog will increase) Finish with a 10 minute jog to ease down.

I haven't really bought anything recently, with most of my games being through PS+. I carried on a bit more with HZD this afternoon and I'll re-download Rocket League and carry on with Battlefront 2, for the time being. I've also just started a new game of Link to the Past, which I've never actually finished before.

I decided to push on with the Horizon Zero Dawn story and I'm in the end-game now. The decision now is what do I want to play once I'm finished. I think I'm content with large, open single player games for a little bit (I'll imagine I'll pick up Spiderman over the summer holidays) and I just want something I can dip into for 30 minutes a day as a break from working. I'm not sure what I fancy though, it's been ages since I touched anything in the sports/racing genre, same for decent online multiplayer games, so I'll do some reading and think about what I want from my free time. EDIT: I think I'm actually looking for games that have quite a steep learning curve, so I can invest some time, then develop over time. I may well re-download Rocket League, but that sometimes feels like the step up is ridiculous.

The Assassin's Creed games, specifically Origins. I found that although it was seen as a marked improvement over the previous iterations of the series, I just don't really like the style of game and would much prefer a more focused, cinematic approach over being overwhelmed.

Did this: 1. 5 minute jog 2. Interval training - Slow jog for 1 minute then run for 1 minute at a pace that pushes past your regular jog, but not a sprint. Repeat 10 times 3. 5 minute jog (ended up being more of a walk for 3 minutes, jog for 2 minutes) 4. Increasing incremental runs - jog for 10s, 3/4 pace for 10s, jog for 15s, 3/4 pace for 15s, carry on up to one minute. 5. 5 minute jog (or walk...you know, it's all fine) 6. Tabata run - 20s sprint, 10s walk. Repeat 6 times. 7. 10 minute job (5 minute walk, 5 minute jog) I won't lie, this was not an easy session. Based on my phone, I covered about 6 miles, with a lot of it being at an uncomfortable pace (or suffering/recovering). I need to amend the Tabata rest time to be longer, or complete it sooner and realistically, I could bin off part 4 and put more effort into the jogs. Part 2 though was a good workout and an ideal warm up to go into some strength work as I was tired, but not ruined. Next session will be more strength based anyway so it's not like I'm missing out on anything.

The Secret of Marrowbone: C+ Now, this wasn't an amazing film by any stretch and became overly convoluted and dumb at the conclusion. With that said, it demonstrates something I really appreciate in a horror movie. For a number of years, it felt that most horror films had a hook or premise that they deemed 'scary' and then everything else was fit around it. Now though, I'm glad that we're seeing a lot more great stories that happen to also be scary, rather than it being shoehorned in. I know I've scored The Secret of Marrowbone quite low, but it's approach I can't commend enough.

Don't knock it, they're cracking books. I would say read the Uhtred books by Bernard Cornwall, they're all straight forward, engaging and easy to polish off over a long weekend if you wanted. In terms of series, I would also say Vikings, although I had a lot of time for Marco Polo, Narco's and I've heard good things about Empire.

Wife has just downloaded the latest Sims expansion, so I'll not be playing anything today, tomorrow though I'll carry on with the Battlefront 2 single player and online and then, in Horizon Zero Dawn it gave me the "if you choose to carry on from here, you can't go back" which sounds very endgame, so I'll polish off a few more side quests so I'm more powerful and then see what's the deal.

I've decided that Call of Duty just isn't for me any more. Gone are the days when I would ask for the latest version for Christmas, finish the Campaign on boxing day and put about 30 hours into the online. After being annoyed in WW2 by lag meaning the hits I thought had registered, in fact doing fuck all, and random explosions endlessly killing me in the campaign I've deleted it. I gave Battlefront 2 a go this morning and this is much more my style. I love the fact I can have an impact with individual fights, but it's more about the whole team, than one or two players. I'm sure I'll find something to hate in due course, but for now, this will do nicely.

I had a Game Gear and enjoyed it (though I only had Sonic and Columns) but this looks terrible and can't instil any nostalgia.

I felt (as I was playing Red Dead Redemption 2) that it would be a fantastic game to be 15-16 and play through. Have all the time in the world, really invest in the world, complete every side mission, git gud at online For me, it was a good story wrapped up in an OK game.

Being older this generation, I've not had as much time to play games (and in turn, play bad games) so I can't really think of any...maybe Zombie U? I had a great time with the game and it was the first Wii U game that I completed. I remember at the time the game receiving criticism for how long it took to kill enemies and due to the way death was handled, a lack of engagement with the characters. Regardless though, it was an interesting take on the Zombie genre and a great example of using the Wii U gamepad.

1917: A I watched this with my wife this evening and we both thoroughly enjoyed it. It was paced well, the score was a perfect fit and the characters were very well done. There was a little but too much convenient escaping enemy fire, but overall, really good. I will say though, although it made a great film, the idea of two people being sent on a mission during a war would make a great pseudo-sequel to A Way Out.

This one comment makes me really want to play the game again

I've been putting some more time into the WW2 multiplayer (I'm not overly keen on the campaign, unless someone can tell me it has some amazing set pieces...I may just ignore it) and whilst enjoyable, I find myself frequently put off by the fact that new players are seemingly penalised for being new, by having awful gear. I'll persist, but I always go through the same routine with Call of Duty games where I'll enjoy them to about level 20 and then become disenchanted. I might download Battlefront 2 and see what that's like.

So, I've read: Carrie The Shining The Stand The Dead Zone Cujo The Dark Tower: Gunslinger Pet Sematary It The Dark Tower: The Drawing of the Three Dolores Claiborne The Green Mile The Dark Tower: Wizard and Glass The Dark Tower: Wolves of the Calla The Dark Tower: Song of Susannah The Dark Tower: The Dark Tower Cell Under the Dome Doctor Sleep On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft The Mist The Body I really enjoy King's style of writing, but can only enjoy it in bursts (so I couldn't read back-to-back books) and will pick up the other mains one I haven't touched at some point, though really that's only 'Salem's Lot, Christine, The Running Man and Misery.

They’re a series I would love to enjoy but just don’t

I've been playing (and sort of enjoying) WW2 and Battlefront was the first PS4 game that I played and I had a good time with that, so I'm happy with this months games.

With the recent PS+ release, I've given Call of Duty: WW2 a go. It's definitely more Call of Duty and looks pretty rough if I'm honest, however, it's nice to play a very focused Campaign.

All this talk of Xenoblade Chronicles has me sorely tempted to re-download the game to my Wii U, but then I remember how horrific I found the side quest markers and that I'm stuck on a boss battle where I'm too weak to beat it and to lost to work out how to get better.

I finished Masters of War and in it's genre (historical fiction) it was good, though no Iggulden, Mantel etc good. I will pick up the next book(s) if I see them somewhere cheap, but I won't rush. I wanted to get back into the Uthred books again, so I'm going to re-read (I assume, I literally can't remember if I have, or haven't) the Empty Throne and start working my way through the series. I also grabbed a random book from my shelf called The Long Take, which in it's own description is a noir narrative written with the intensive and power of poetry. I've read the first 15 pages and it's been good so far, but will be 250 odd pages of poetry about a WW2 veteran with PTSD. Nothing like reading out of your comfort zone.

A bit more REmake this morning (online lecture which was a lot of talking, a lot less doing) and have acquired the shotgun, located the kerosene container and then after saving went on an exploration run and located the dog whistle and the lighter, so I'll replay that little bit later on and then go and grab a few items to throw in the item box. I've not used a guide/map so far, but I think I probably will end up doing so, more to keep a tab on things that I've found so far. Update: As always happens with RE games, just popped it on again to have a bit more of a go and now Richard has been given the serum, I've got the Armour key and I'm just milling around opening up things.

I've owned a copy of Metroid Prime (with a few repurchases) since 2003 and still never completed the game. My current save on the Gamecube places me across a hall from the Freeze Beam and I almost feel guilty for not giving it my attention. In terms of gaming, I messed around with some PS Now and completed the first stage of Devil May Cry. I think that style of action game just isn't for me, unless it's been made by Platinum. I'm also in the middle of an online lecture at the moment and decided to trying out REmake for the first time in a few years (again on Gamecube). It holds up well, though on my television looks...not great. That said, I've just grabbed the Sword Key (so maybe 10 minutes of actual playing) and saved. It's funny, I don't find games that scary any more (more jumpy and then fun) but I must have some kind of hangover anxiety with this game from playing it when I was 13 and being scared shitless, because I have that vague 'worry' when playing the game. EDIT: One other thing about REmake, did anyone ever make a mod for the PC version (if the game supports them) that makes the map more in line with modern Resident Evil games - namely it details the items within a room, states which keys open which doors etc). Either way, emotionally preparing myself to test each door until I find one that works.

Beef with a slightly gamey aftertaste is my guess. Or fish, if the adage "you are what you eat" is true.