I tried MineClone first, and it was fun. After researching mods, I went deep down the rabbit trail, and switched to MineGame/default, since it seems like there's more mod combinations.
Now I have a setup that's roughly MineClone, but with some quality of life changes.
Most notably, once I tried the 'always have a crafting table' default in MineGame, I missed it anytime I tried to go back to MineClone (which requires a crafting table to unlock 3x3 crafting, just like Minecraft).
I started by adding everything by TenPlus1, on the assumption that anyone working that hard, to make that many mods, was probably making good mods. (This turned out to be a good assumption.)
Beyond that I have added most of the 'More X' and 'X Redo' plugins.
I'm experimenting with the various 'Wilhems XYZ' plugins now, and liking what I've seen so far.
I've been adding cautiously, because I had a lot of issues when running much fewer mods on Minecraft Java Edition. But MineTest just cranks along happily with roughly 30 mods, for me, right now.
Posting a full list is on my to-do list, after the list is stable.
Do any of them make you feel like you're having an experience that you couldn't replicate in minecraft?
Oh yes.
Mods like 'More Trees' and 'Farming Redo' provide a much deeper farming experience.
'Pipeworks' adds the inventory sorting engine that I always wanted in Minecraft, but with much simpler recipes.
'Realistic HangGlider' replicates Elitra and Rockets, but it's just craftable - no extra-dimensional scarcity. Which happens to fit my play style.
And most notably, the default 3x3 in-inventory crafting is such a nice quality of life feature. I'm not constantly running back to, or making another, crafting box.
I got a used copy of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim for switch, I know I'm very late to the party on this one but I am enjoying it a lot.
It is the first game however where I've had my switch fully crash, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised since it is a Bethesda title.
I've been spending a bunch of the time reading the random lore books in the game, the world building is definitely the main draw for me over the gameplay. Gameplay isn't my favourite but I am enjoying it still, I feel some more contemporary RPGs have definitely spoiled me in some ways.
Finally got around to Talos Principle (the first one) and it's as good as people said.
I also started playing some space battles in Empire at War on "Star Wars Day" (May the Fourth) and find that level of not-very-challenging RTS kind of soothing, so I'm back to playing that for a bit.
I am a simple man.. Some Stardew Valley — I try to visit my farm every so often, a little THPS1+2 action when it’s raining lately and I am waiting for a perfect / slow morning to tackle Gorogoa.
If you had told me decades ago that I would still be playing THPS1 and 2 a quarter of a century later...I would have probably nodded and said "yeah. Makes sense." I guess we knew it was a classic, back then, too.
Yeah.. as remasters/remakes go, this would be one of my favorites just right next to Crash Bandicoot series and New 'n' Tasty Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee. Oh! Tetris Effect kinda sorta fits in this group too.
All of those titles deserved some new generation graphics and polish, none of them lost their fun value, vibe or overall quality in the process. Plus there is no need to emulate anything, no crack-mod-tango, so bonus points for making some of the best games ever created widely accessible.
If one day, any studio would put the same amount of effort into Driver series or Remedy would go full nostalgia and re-do the Max Payne series — oops.. I think, I ventured too deep into fantasy lands here.
sorta nothing. I was doing dragons dogma but a combination of its mechanics and it crashing has put me off. then was going to do cyberpunk but this thing with stat checks being based on level put me off. in elden ring im at the point where I think I will take the frenzy flame to save the tinder but im sorta waiting for the dlc to see if I can do that before taking that step. I will get back into things but with tax time in the us combined with all the rest of modern life i have been doing more couch potatoe vegging out for breaks lately.
I have to login to Ubi every time I play, which is really annoying on my Steam Deck, so I end up only playing when I have >2 hours available. It's reasonably fun, but I'll probably not bother with the other games (or really anything from Ubisoft) in the series, I just want to finish the Ezio trilogy.
Once I'm done with that, I'll probably play some indies. I'm trying to buy fewer games this year since I have a ton already that I haven't played. But if Cities: Skylines 2 gets some decent patches, I'll probably get it.
Planet Crafter. Has that kind of subnautica feel to it with the satisfaction of changing the world around you. A bit rough around the edges, but worth the 15 quid.
Motor Town for driving wayyyyy too fast in an open world
Xonotic for swooping around and feeling that zen feel that comes from being locked in with an arena shooter.
Halo Infinite & Splitgate (I hop back and forth between the two) for multiplayer fun. I love the jet pack in Splitgate and Halo Infinite is just damn good halo multiplayer (though I wish it ran a tinnyyyy bit better on my Steam Deck).
Operation Harsh Doorstop for my realistic shooter vibes, this game has been really fun to see coming together in development, especially since Battlebit has so thoroughly disappointed me with giving the advantage entirely to high mobility smg players and not giving other play styles any way to counter that. Idk Squad wouldn’t even run on my Steam Deck I don’t think so Operation Harsh Doorstop has been my semi-realistic shooter of choice.
Picked up Midnight Suns. Having a blast with it, though this is the first Marvel property I've played/watched/etc. that mimics the MCU, so that's a little weird. Mixed bag so far on that; whoever's playing Iron Man is doing a solid RDJ impression while Erica Lindbeck as Captain Marvel (my favorite superhero) is going to be distracting. I'll probably end up randomly hearing Misty or Futaba as I go.
I'm loving the writing so far, though. I actually stepped out to catch up on a couple of the movies but I'll be jumping back in tonight.