
import Post from "@/layouts/Post"
import VideoEmbed from "@/components/VideoEmbed"

I'm 70% writing this post as an excuse to mess with a video embed component, since I've been trying out Steam's background recording feature.

I hadn't paid too much attention to **Hell is Us** before the demo was released, but I'd seen enough to know I would give it a try.

<VideoEmbed src="https://qkmxahnj8jdyrevu.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/hell-is-us/slow-walk-MbLaI6ZCiexnyA38vEEJPtSH7syH5P.mp4" />

First impressions were good. The demo starts off in a mysterious, desolate forest, and it gives off a nice, eerie atmosphere. I'm impressed with the graphics, even if the art style doesn't feel like it totally has its own identity in the early stages.

<VideoEmbed src="https://qkmxahnj8jdyrevu.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/hell-is-us/combat-6iofnuwPiImLKFCBeK26HeUU8BU4mt.mp4" />

The combat is decent so far. It feels like a Souls-like for sure, and the closest one I'd compare it to is **The Surge**. Just a little clunky, with attack animations that go a little further than you expect. You have a little drone buddy too. At first it only has one move, to stun/distract enemies, but I'm sure that'll open up as the game progresses.

<VideoEmbed src="https://qkmxahnj8jdyrevu.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/hell-is-us/menu-enRF2HpaAHbaa5DBQvlBocTq9avvje.mp4" />

I'm digging the menu UI, though it is ever-so-slightly too slow to open. Fallout Pip-Boy vibes. Equipment seems pretty straightforward, but I'm intrigued by the investigation system. Seems like you'll be discovering clues and putting some pieces together yourself, but maybe with a little more structure than **Dark Souls**.

<VideoEmbed src="https://qkmxahnj8jdyrevu.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/hell-is-us/good-deed-fPfLT7hpY1cRgSuWFkYqLyHw3OQcPg.mp4" />

I've played enough to be intrigued, but not enough to know I'd be down to pick it up on launch day. I'll be waiting for reviews.

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  <Post title={title} date={date}>
    {children}
  </Post>
)


Hell is Us Demo Impressions


import Post from "@/layouts/Post"

I've never believed in fate / destiny / the guiding hand of a higher power. RNG has been easier to swallow for a long time. But there is something to parenting, when I look at Ole, it's obvious to me that he is supposed to exist. And the chaos of the universe that led to his existence happened as it should.

It's a weird belief to hold in parallel with no faith in any religion or destiny, but it's how I feel.

export default ({ children }) => (
  <Post title={title} date={date}>
    {children}
  </Post>
)


On Parenting


import Post from "@/layouts/Post"
import Image from "next/image"

Yeesh, well, it's been about a year since this site came online. In that time, as a blog it's been a total failure. Writing isn't the outlet for me it used to be, and between busy work and busy parenting life I haven't felt the urge to wax poetically about any of my dev work. I don't think I'm one of those devs.

But over in the **consume** section of this site I'd call the experiment a success. Over the years I've tried a bunch of different tools to track and review(?) media consumption. Goodreads for books, Infinite backlog and others for gaming, Letterboxd or whatever for movies and TV. Everything's a little too much work, maybe the workflow is too involved for what I'm trying to do.

So I started using a very basic Notion database. Anytime I finish something I care enough to write a paragraph about, I drop it in Notion with a title, a little bit of metadata, a category (games, TV, movies, books, etc), and maybe a paragraph of my thoughts. This site grabs the update, slaps a date on it, styles it based on the category, and drops it in the feed along with everything else I've consumed. And I think that's all I need it to do, at least for now. I've been using it pretty consistently for the past year, which is more than I can say for any of the tools I've tried.

export default ({ children }) => (
  <Post title={title} date={date}>
    {children}
  </Post>
)


(Spongebob narrator voice) One year later...


import Post from "@/layouts/Post"
import Image from "next/image"

A catalog of my continuing adventures. I need to continue learning more about development on my own time, and I also need (want) a place to record light, general impressions of the media I'm consuming.

Hence Create / Consume

I think this will be a good place to track it.

Coming up soon, an overview of the technologies I worked with and what I've learned building a new site for the in-laws. E-commerce minus the commerce. More details at a later date.

export default ({ children }) => (
  <Post title={title} date={date}>
    {children}
  </Post>
)


Create

Hell is Us Demo Impressions

On Parenting

(Spongebob narrator voice) One year later...

Time to return, time to learn