28th February

Hello and welcome back to our regular feature where we write a little about the games we’ve been playing. This week, we sadly say goodbye to some of the Eurogamer team, including Tom, who here says goodbye. Meanwhile, Bertie has a scattered gaming week, and Marie, as regularly as clockwork, goes back to Stardew Valley.

If you’re looking for something else to read, or a reminder of what you once wrote, there’s a whole What We’ve Been Playing archive to delve into.

Games media, VideoGamer, USGamer, VG247, and Eurogamer

22 years (or something like that – to be honest, I’ve lost track of where it all began). This career is all I ever wanted to do, ever since I realised at a young age that the people who made Mean Machines magazine were being paid to do that. It was a dream. Not one my old school headmaster was that keen on my pursuing, obviously; his stern words attempted to push me (a working class boy who happened to be lucky enough to thrive at school) into a safe career in computing. So I did as I was told.

The world had other plans, as is hopefully clear to anyone who has followed me for the last two decades. I did get a degree in software engineering, but at the same time set up a business with a friend, and the rest is history. There have been plenty of downs over the years (running a business is hard, games media is hard, and working in games media for someone other than yourself is hard too), but I’ve never lost my passion to be part of something great – something bigger than myself that impacts people’s lives. You might find that statement silly, for this is just writing about video games, but I wholeheartedly believe it’s possible.

I don’t know what’s next for me. This could well be my very last piece of games writing. If it is, I’m not sad about it (well, maybe a little). I know everyone I’ve worked with will do their best to continue on with that very same philosophy, to aim high, roll with the punches, and do the very best job they can. They all deserve your support in trying to do so.

-Tom O (Former Eurogamer Editorial Director)

A bunch of games, mostly on PC

How do you follow that? Tom, you’re a hero, and you’ve done so much for Eurogamer that often goes unseen (like contributing unfailingly to this article every week). Thank you for everything and I wish you – we all wish you – the best of luck with what comes next. And a wider thank you and farewell to the other people leaving Eurogamer this week. I don’t want to say too much for fear of ruining their personal announcements but you have all, to a person, made Eurogamer a place worth visiting. I will miss you; we will all miss you.

As for the games I’ve been playing this week: it’s a jumbled bunch. Overwatch continues to call to me, and I’m trying to work my way around the character roster to get a sense of everyone I haven’t played there. I was splashing around with Wuyang the other day and while I’m not huge on the character’s visual design, mechanically, he’s great. I also dropped into Highguard for the first time this week, eager to try it before it disappears, and Quantic Dream’s odd new project Spellcasters Chronicles – odd because Quantic Dream does not make third-person MOBA games. It’s okay. Besides that I also spent an evening dabbling in Diablo 2: Resurrected on Switch 2, and I’m starting to get into it now. I’ve been scattered, basically. It’s been a week.

-Bertie

Stardew Valley – Switch 2

In all of my previous runs of Stardew Valley, of which there are many, I’ve never unlocked Ginger Island or gone past level 50 in the mines. So, having already reached level 80 in the mines and being tantalisingly close to wrapping up the community center, I’m daring to say this is my best run yet.

Initially, I wondered if I’d made a mistake choosing the beach farm, but it’s turned out to be my favourite plot now that I’ve unlocked the greenhouse. Sure, I’m focusing more on it being a ranch-like farm with minimal crops, but that means I can make sure crops I do grow are high quality, though I admit not being able to use sprinklers is a tad challenging.

All in all, forcing myself to focus properly on this save file and not abandon it when I get a new idea has worked out very well so far. Ginger Island here I come!

-Marie