Playing Journey was one of the most moving and profound experiences I’ve ever had in gaming. I was lucky enough to play the entirety of the game in one sitting and with one partner. I knew going in that this was a co-op game. What I didn’t realize was the effect it would have on me. Truly the closest to a spiritual experience I’ve had in a gaming setting. I sobbed as we walked into the light at the end.

The romanticism of flight, chivalry of air combat, and the sincere humanity throughout the series is what made me a fan many years ago.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DCoHdkaGnpU

A few years ago I had to sell my 2DS and my full Pokemon game collection, including a living dex on Alpha Sapphire, to make rent. I tried calling the store back to see if they had the Alpha Sapphire cartridge a month later, but they said it was against policy to allow me to run the games to see what was saved on each cartridge. Losing that one made me really sad.

When all the rumors of a Silent Hill remake were swirling last summer, I dove into listening to the first 4 games’ soundtracks. They really have such an ethereal quality that is hard to match. I particularly love Silent Hill 2’s atmosphere just based on the music alone. There were a few days were our city was blanketed with smoke from wildfires, and boy did those tracks feel a bit more real as I walked through the deserted parks.

Another series with great music is Ace Combat. The soundtrack for 7 was on a weekly rotation for awhile after I finished he campaign. I’ve only really listened to the OST for AC4 and AC: Zero, but I’ve heard there is a lot of love for the other games as well.

I have been carrying my 2DS on my commute to and from work for the last 2 months. It actually managed to make a StreetPass connection from a car driving by, and another a few days later while I visited the local zoo. It makes me happy to see that there is a push for people to carry around their 3DSs again. If only the Switch had a similar program…