The Queue: Time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping, into the Friday

I was going to make a joke asking for good game suggestions for weekend if I have time to play something, but the Silksong release deserves better. Congrats to Team Cherry on Hollow Knight: Silksong on such a phenomenal launch they took down both Steam and Nintendo’s shops, then hit probably record-making (or breaking) concurrent play numbers. I’m still working on my interest in Metroidvanias, but your art may convince me to give it a go anyways.

Anyways, it’s Friday, this is the Queue, and while it’s your regularly scheduled time, I am not your regularly scheduled channel. Let’s freaking go.

OH OH, okay I know you didn’t mean this to be a Queue-question, but I can actually give you an answer! The introduction of the Microsoft Store and their Metro Apps (ew, I hated typing that) started this slow, painful transition into everything being an app(let). Mind you, the default OS clock does still exist, and doesn’t require any unique patching outside of your standard Windows updates, but their fancy little clock widget? Yup, that’s an app with its own code.

Some day, far in the future, when Microsoft and Apple have merged into one megaplex OS and Linux continues to fight on with hundreds of rebellious distros, we can look back here and shake our heads. Then hide from iSkynet.

OK, I wasn’t originally going to answer this one, but Anna inspired me in our Discord server.

Marry: Lor’themar. Originally I was super worried about doing my girl Thalyssra dirty, but I think I would make a fantastic addition to their marriage. They’re both so busy, after all! Having the Champion of Azeroth available when your other partner has to be away as the Leader of their Faction can’t be a downside, right? (Seriously, I make amazing popcorn for movie night. Call me.)

Cuddle: Aethas. OK HEAR ME OUT. Yes, Aethas has made mistakes, lots of them. But he is trying and has been through some major stuff. He deserves a big ol’ hug.

Kill: Kael’thas. Because we already did. In Magister’s Terrace (which we’re going back to in Midnight).

In this Back to the Future-esque romp, may I request that Rhonin’s Raptor Army (inexplicably for Azeroth) have Italian accents? It makes about as much sense as most other Azerothian accents!

I would also like Vol’jin and Ysera to pop in to provide them inexplicable (and sometimes completely unhelpful) aid.

My favorite is Protection paladin, although I’m playing mostly Retribution nowadays.

When I came over to WoW from Everquest in Vanilla, I was coming off playing an Erudite cleric (follower of Quellious, of course) and there was very little in WoW that felt similar (especially when I started as Horde). Then along came The Burning Crusade and behold, Horde could have paladins. It definitely wasn’t the same experience, but it was a lot of what I had enjoyed in EQ. I started playing Prot in Wrath of the Lich King and from then on, it was my absolute favorite.

I feel like the Prot Paladin has a little bit of everything in its toolkit, which makes it an absolute gem to play. You can survive almost any content and get yourself back up to 100% health reasonably quickly while maintaining some wildly useful tools in your toolkit. I do miss the Blessings and Seals of retail past (and can go re-experience them in Classic if desired) but I think the spec still brings enough to the plate that they don’t feel like Warriors in glowy plate.

Laura Bailey or Tress MacNeille. Both are considered to be very kind when meeting fans, and they would be meaningful to me for different reasons.

The soundtrack to Romeo and Juliet, No Doubt’s Tragic Kingdom, and Garbage’s self-titled debut album.

Khadgar’s magical wheelchair. Look, I’ve been adventuring around Azeroth for a hot minute now, my back freaking hurts.

Absolutely Fiona. I considered Mars for a hot second but have you seen the mischief that lil’ guy can get up to? Not a chance. I’d end up on my butt in the pool, being thrown some adorable side-eye.

Not so much a “someday” as a “soon,” but it’s a toss-up between Hades 2 and Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era.

I’ve been playing Hades 2 on and off since early access began. I’m really impressed with how Supergiant has grown and improved on the title from its predecessor but dang it, I want to experience the full story! Especially since I know it’s going to take me more than a few full runs to do so.

HoMM is in a similar boat, but without the early access (yet). The Heroes of Might and Magic franchise holds a really special place in my gamer heart because HoMM 3 was the first co-op game I played with my siblings — we logged countless hours in the title. When I caught wind of this project from Unfrozen, I slapped that Wishlist button so hard on Steam I bruised something. I’ve been following their dev blogs and content reveals from their Discord — one of the factions in the new title is literally filled with eldritch horrors, and I need it basically now.

That’s it, friends. Belinda (the sweetest of my trio of demons felines) wishes you a fantastic weekend with many naps in sunbeams on soft blankets. Remember to drink some water, touch grass, and give someone a hug (yes, yourself counts). Oh, and ask some solid questions for Cory to tackle on Monday!