Call of Duty Vanguard (Xbox Series X)

I typically buy Call of Duty every year, good or bad.  I don't like myself for doing it, but there's something about that instant action that's so satisfying that every November I'm ready for another.  I was not too excited to return to World War 2.  I loved Modern Warfare of 2019, and have been waiting for something to replace it.  Never been a huge Black Ops guy and I knew old guns from the mid 1900's wasn't going to do it either.  The multiplayer is surprisingly good though!  I enjoy the maps quite a bit, I can't say there's one I don't like!

The campaign is another story.  I knocked the whole thing out in a morning.  I had Covid, so there wasn't a whole lot else going on in my life, that attributed to the 5-6 hour marathon gaming session.  The campaign is underwhelming outside a handful of operator levels where you play as Polina.  Those levels gave me some serious "Mirror's Edge" vibes.  

I'd recommend this game to Call of Duty multiplayer fans.  You know what you're getting here, and it's good.  Much better than Black Ops: Cold War. 

Unpacking (PC via Game Pass)

Unpacking is a neat little indie game, some call it a puzzle game, but the puzzles are incredibly simple.  If this game had a difficulty scale, it'd be a 2 out of 10.  There's something therapeutic about this game, unpacking the boxes and decorating rooms is oddly satisfying.  Feeling the pain after trying to unlock 200 sniper kills in Call of Duty, I'd come back to unpacking to relax.  I guess it's $30 to buy?  That does seem like a bit much for a handful of hours, but if you have game pass, you really should give this a try.  Recommend.

Aaero (Xbox Series X via Games with Gold)

Games with gold has been pretty worthless, but I always try to at least watch a trailer and see what they're about.  This ones aesthetics and music really caught my eye...and I mean, how could it not?

Fun little rhythm game with some easy achievements.  Worth a play through, the trailer tells you everything else.  Recommend.

Mighty Goose (Xbox Series X via Game Pass)

Looking for something mindless to play I came across this game on Game Pass.   I've read it compares to Metal Slug, a series I haven't spent a lot of time with it.  I call it a Contra-Like.  It's a shootemup with a novel little premise and a whole lot of action.  The game is incredibly short, which is right up my alley.  The storey is cute but overall meaningless.  The action keeps up well on the series X and I gotta recommend this bad boy.  Fun time.