the Andrew Bailey

No, it's not different this time!

The Stanley Parable 2 announcement convention

The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe

This is a blog post about a game named The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe. This is an expanded version of The Stanley Parable. It's a story about a man named Stanley, and what happens when he is left all alone in an office building, with only a voice in his head to keep him company. There are certainly many offices like that since the world changed forever. The aesthetics hit almost too close to reality for this blogger.

Screenshot of you at the table with a dictator.

Far Cry 4

Far Cry 4 is a very short game. This walking simulator is very pretty, though it only contains about 2 rooms that you can thoroughly examine. I'm surprised that it was marketed as a bombastic shooter like its prequels. I wish I could jump off the railing and go explore the mountains I saw, but I couldn't. What a shame. (I even tried that stupid crouch jump thing from Half-Life, but you can't crouch in this game.) Unlike some other examples of this genre, you actually get to see and interact with other people.

UNSC forces attacking another UNSC base

Halo Wars

I continue to enjoy my free Xbox Game Pass trial. Halo Wars is a Halo-based real time strategy game. However, since this was made in the dark days where 360 was heavily pushed, this was designed with controllers in mind. In some way, it's a miracle that this was even released on PC, unlike every other Halo game at the time. Although Halo was originally conceived as an RTS, this has no relation to it.

Screenshot of Spartan Strike, trying to hold off the Covenant and Prometheans.

Halo: Spartan Assault and Strike

Recently, I stumbled across a 3 month free trial of Xbox Game Pass. Being an occasional penny pinching miser, I signed up. You know what that means: more Halo! So let's dig into the top down twin stick Halo shooters.

Screenshot of Manny talking to Domino.

Grim Fandango

This would be a Halloween game, but Cinco de Mayo is this week, so here's a game to go along with my hot burgers. Grim Fandango is a key part of the Tim Schafer pantheon. It was the last game he made before leaving LucasArts and establishing Double Fine Productions. Like Tim's earlier games, Grim Fandango is an adventure game that first released in 1998: the closing days of the classic adventure game era.

A pile of burger patties, and a finished burger on a bun, with ingredients behind.

Cinco de Mayo Burgers

Thoroughly mix ground beef with the taco seasoning and hot sauce in a large bowl. Form into 9 to 12 patties. Grill for 20 or so minutes, flipping once and applying cheese after 10 minutes. Take a bun, and add one layer of jalapenos. Apply mayonnaise, so that it flows into the gaps between and inside the jalapenos (so it won't squirt out when you eat it). Apply 1 cooked patty, and pile on as many jalapenos as you can stomach, and, if desired, add more hot sauce and mayo. Eat.

Screenshot of Halo Infinite, showing Chief electrocuting an elite enemy while overlooking a vast crack in the ring.

Halo Infinite

Halo Infinite is a well-designed and lovingly crafted shooter. 343 Industries has said that this is a 'spiritual reboot' of the series, and it feels like it, from top to bottom; a return to its roots. I don't speak for the multiplayer, but the campaign. Yes, there are many missing features, but to someone who isn't a drooling fanboi, this hits the spot. They've optimized for the right thing: gameplay. Depending on future improvements, this might end up ranking in my favorite games. This feels like a more conventionally designed game than something unique, but I still had a blast!