Try-It Tuesday: NO MAN’S SKY

Posted on August 31, 2017 by J.L. Hilton

This week, I tried out the epic 2016 space exploration game that disappointed everyone.

Honest trailer
Angry Joe review
No Man’s Sky trailer vs reality

~ J.L. Hilton

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Try-It Tuesday: PREY

Posted on August 23, 2017 by J.L. Hilton

I played the free demo of PREY, the first-person shooter and sci-fi survival horror game developed by Arkane Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. The game was released in May 2017 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

I’m not usually a fan of horror games, but I enjoyed PREY. It seemed more creepy than horrifying, more atmospheric than outright gory, but it may ramp up with further play, I don’t know.

PREY delivers jump scares via alien “mimics” who can take the form of innocuous items like coffee cups and trash cans. There’s also an element of crafting, breaking down various bits of trash to create new items, though I didn’t explore this much in the demo.

The controls and game mechanics are similar to the Dishonored games (also by Arkane Studios), which involve a lot of stealth, climbing, jumping, reading in-game content, and somewhat clunky first-person combat.

PREY is rated “M” for mature audiences, due to blood, language, use of alcohol, and violence.

~ J.L. Hilton

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Try-It Tuesday: inFAMOUS Second Son

Posted on August 17, 2017 by J.L. Hilton

This week we meet Delsin Rowe in inFAMOUS SECOND SON, the 2014 action-adventure game by Sucker Punch.

While I’m not usually a fan of cutscenes, third-person perspective or games that rely heavily on climbing/jumping mechanics, for some reason it works for me in this franchise. I thoroughly enjoyed the original inFAMOUS and I still miss Cole.

Players might recognize Delsin’s voice actor, Troy Baker, from BioShock Infinite, Metal Gear Solid V, Last of Us, and about a billion other things.

Rated “T” for teens, with blood, drug references, language, sexual themes, and violence. Don’t know how this one ended up with a “T” but Skyrim has an “M.”

~ J.L. Hilton

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Dishonored 2 begins August 2

Posted on July 26, 2017 by J.L. Hilton

~ * ~

Next month, I return to Dunwall with Dishonored 2, streamed via Youtube and Playstation Network.

I’m giving away an official Bethesda Softworks Dishonored 78-card tarot deck during my first stream August 2, 2017. This is the original promotional deck, offered with pre-orders of the first Dishonored game in 2012.

Subscribe to my channel JEWELSMITH and click the bell icon to be notified when I begin the stream, or you can follow me on Twitter and Facebook for updates.

Viewers who comment “A Game of Nancy” in the chatroom during the Wednesday livestream will be entered in a random drawing. The winner will be announced in the comments section of the Youtube video after the end of the livestream and must contact me within 48 hours to claim the prize or another winner will be chosen. No purchase necessary, free shipping to anywhere in the world.

Only one entry per person, regardless of how many times you say “A Game of Nancy” during the livestream.

Click here for how to play an actual Game of Nancy. 

~ J.L. Hilton

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Teldryn Manganiello

Posted on May 26, 2017 by J.L. Hilton

Back in 2014, when I used this photo of Joe Manganiello to create my version of dark elf Teldryn Sero from The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, I had no idea the actor/director/producer was “a lifelong D&D enthusiast.”

Joe will be participating in Stream of Annihilation in Seattle, June 2&3, streamed 10am-10pm PT on Twitch.

Read more in this article (which also features Matthew Mercer, voice of MacCready in Fallout 4)

~ J.L. Hilton

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Happy Mother’s Day

Posted on May 14, 2017 by J.L. Hilton

My husband and daughters got me chocolate and a Dibella statue for Mother’s Day. Well, it’s not actually a Dibella statue, it’s an Aphrodite statue by Veronese Design, but close enough. 

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Friendship is Magic in the Wasteland

Posted on May 3, 2017 by J.L. Hilton

My daughter joked that this song reminded her of my sole survivor Fiona, the general of the Minutemen, and so inspired this Fallout 4 / My Little Pony mash-up.

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A Wasteland Orange

Posted on April 29, 2017 by J.L. Hilton

I found an interesting guy near Walden Pond, during my second playthrough of Fallout 4.

From what I’ve read online, the trader who spawns there is usually a woman and players assume she’s just a crazy cat lady.

My trader spawned with a harness and a bowler hat. Considering this scene from A Clockwork Orange, it might seem as if this location is referencing the 1971 movie.

~ J.L. Hilton

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My breakfast potato is very disappointed in me

Posted on April 22, 2017 by J.L. Hilton
Photo by JLHilton
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Fallout 4 life-size CLUE board settlement build

Posted on April 10, 2017 by J.L. Hilton

I built a replica of a Clue game board in my Vault 88 settlement in FALLOUT 4, with mannequins to represent each character, and weapons in each decorated room.

Miss Scarlet in the lounge with the candlestick. There aren’t any actual candlesticks in Fallout 4, so I just put candles.
Colonel Mustard in the study / library, with the revolver. There’s a .44 pistol actually stashed inside the desk.
Mr. Green in the conservatory with the wrench. There’s a pipe wrench stored in the tool box.
Professor Plum in the billiard room with the lead pipe. Fallout 4 actually has a lead pipe junk item, so one of those is stored on the mannequin.
Mrs. White in the kitchen with the knife, which is a combat knife stored in the milk machine.
Mrs. Peacock in the ballroom with the rope. There’s no rope in the game, but there’s a roll of cotton yarn stored on the mannequin.

~ J.L. Hilton

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