This is Me. And Bowie.

My name is Alex and I love video games. The first console I can remember playing is the NES, with Mario 3 and Nintendo World Cup being my absolute jam, along with many other classics. I was fortunate enough growing up to be blessed with a Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis, making weekend runs to our local video store that much harder when it came to picking out games. It was a simpler time. Video games were a rallying point for my brother and I growing up, with a nice spattering of outdoor activities thrown in so we were nice and well rounded. As I got older and had more freedom as to how I spent my free time, I mostly leaned towards video games.

In middle school and high school, just about every birthday between my friends and I was a sleepover spent consuming $5 medium pizzas from Dominos and playing games late into the night/early into the morning. Those birthdays became way more intense once Halo came out and the advent of mini-LAN parties with everyone contributing either a console or TV to the cause. I’ll always have a soft spot for those times, before online gaming and the always online model. There was just something satisfying about making those connections work and having your team be whoever was on your TV to cut down on the inevitable screen looking.

In more recent years, gaming has been just as important to me as it was when I was younger. Whether it’s playing games on my PC, mobile games, tabletop games, or my monthly Dungeons and Dragons game, it has always served a purpose whether it’s connection, escape, or pure entertainment. I play games weekly with my brother online. My best friend from high school and I recently reconnected to play Baldur’s Gate 3 weekly. I’m even able to convince my wife to play the occasional game on our Switch.

This blog’s inception was actually conceived and launched in early 2021. I kept at it for a few months, but as is often the case, life happens and I was no longer able to keep up with the weekly release structure. If you want to read about some of my previously played games, you can find them here. Who knows, maybe I’ll revisit some of them to give updated reviews later on down the road.

Lastly, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention an important inspiration for starting this blog three years ago, and bringing it back now. The podcast The Besties has been a constant companion to me and is near and dear to my heart. It’s a video game book club with four best friends who have been playing games together for a long time and have made a living doing it, among other things. They are entertaining, insightful, and love playing games, and I am grateful that they have continued to provide this entertainment for as long as they have. I highly recommend giving them a listen, and if you like what you hear, consider joining their Patreon so they can continue doing what they love.

Thanks for stopping by and happy gaming!