The Queue: Splish Splash

We’re gearing up for summer, so it’s time to start getting the kids signed up for summer swim programs and the like. These tend to either be eye-wateringly expensive or relatively low-cost but run by volunteers. Surprise, the parents are the volunteers. So, me. It’s me. I’m the volunteer. So it is about to be a very splashy summer. Maybe send a rescue party? Preferably made of ducks?

This is The Queue, our daily Q&A column where you ask us questions and we’ll give you the answers as soon as I find a towel.

I’m not going to lie here. I finished the original campaign of Diablo 4 — killed Mother, all that — about two days before season 1 started, which occurred around two weeks after the game launched. I went directly from trying to figure out how the whole tree thing and dailies and stuff worked and starting the grind into having to basically start over with a new character immediately, and that broke all interest I had in the game.

While the two weeks that elapsed were certainly busy, it wasn’t remarkably so, and I frequently go through cycles where I don’t have a ton of time to play or engage. Most games are a little forgiving in that aspect. The only time I logged in WoW this week was to die to elevators for our social media. While it’ll be a bummer to be behind a week on stuff like the artifact in Harandar, and I don’t get a piece from the Vault this week, most of those things will still be there in a month or two when I do have the time. But if the D4 team is going to tune the timing on the seasons that closely just to start, there is zero reason for me to even try to participate. The message was sent, loud and clear: this is not for me.

I have not regretted it for one instant. It’s a fun game, but it’s not that different from any other ARPG. If I want gore and high stakes there are plenty of other games for that, too. Hell, I could just go play Diablo 3.

Similarly, I’m kinda checked out of Sal’theril’s Haven, because it took me a couple weeks to realize I couldn’t hang on to the coins for a while. I get that it’s basically just a variant of weekly quests expiring on rollover but the token gives me the option to choose. But the existence of the token makes it feel very bad.

Also, it is a silly petty little gripe in an expansion full of absolutely transcendent artistry but the fact that Sal’theril’s voice actor doesn’t pronounce the stupid made up Blood Elf words correctly really irks me.

I purchased Forbidden Solitaire and Titanium Court at release last month, and enjoyed both greatly. I just purchased Subnautica 2 at full price when it hit Early Access earlier this week, purely out of spite — I don’t plan to play it until far later in the development process. I’m not gonna say I’m tapped, but I do try to closely budget my gaming purchases so they’re not too bonkers, and the Steam Summer Sale is right around the corner. I also already have a lot of games featured in this, since I’m always on the lookout for a boat decorating mobile base exploration game. Original Subnautica was the GOAT from top to bottom, even the soundtrack was phenomenal, but it’s more scifi than seafaring. Raft was a good one, but I don’t think it’s featured, ironically. Salt 2 is probably my favorite, but it feels very small team voxel graphics, if you know what I mean.

Though, that said, there are a few I have my eye on. Layers of Fear 2 is set on a boat, and it’s literally around $2. So, may as well, right? But Windrose will have to wait. It’s actually not a part of the sale, but hey, seafaring!