The holidays are upon us and, whimsically, a couple of my favorite games have holiday events in full swing. This is a wonderful bonus for already great games, but it does complicate this time of year a bit.
At this stage in December, I am usually trying my best to play (and finish) as many games as possible so I can finish the year with the most comprehensive top ten list possible. I like to get to as many games as I can over the course of the year, and it always becomes blatantly obvious around, oh, now, that I’ve failed to do that.
But I still try.
So when tasked with trying to get to all these games, you can see why it’s both a blessing and a curse that some already excellent games are offering up limited time events that help celebrate the season.
Right now Overwatch is host to Winter Wonderland. You can play in special winter-themed events, but the real draw for everyone I know who plays the game are the incredible skins available in the holiday loot boxes.
I am not immune to this.
Two of my most played characters are Zenyatta and Pharah and both have holiday skins available. I mean, just look at Zenyatta’s Nutcracker skin above. It’s incredible looking. As soon as I saw it, I wanted it. I mean I wanted it in a big, spend-too-much-on-loot-boxes way.
So I did, and I didn’t get it. Way too many loot boxes later I had not obtained my prize. Fortunately, by that time, I had accumulated enough in-game credits to “purchase” it, so I did just that. In the meantime, two people I know received it in their one free holiday loot box.
I wasn’t super amused with that. I’ve never been blessed with good RNG.
Oh, well. I have that skin now and I couldn’t be happier about it. Now I just need to play more Overwatch!
Destiny is currently celebrating the season by hosting The Dawning. The tower is decked out for winter and there are all kinds of “new” things to do. New-ish is probably more like it.
SRL is back and I’d very much like to get to it this time. Last year when it rolled around, I somehow never did a single sparrow race, and I’d love to take part in the festivities. I’d also like to see the three retooled strikes that were brought back into rotation, as well as poke around the tower to see how lovely it looks.
I may not be a fan of snow (or cold weather) in reality, but in games, snow is enchanting.
The event I wish I could overlook is one I know I will end up seeing no matter how hard I try to stay away: Animal Crossing: New Leaf’s winter festivities.
I am such a sucker for this game. I spent over 800 hours with it. That’s so many hours! I mean, that’s just a ridiculous amount of hours to spend in a game in just over a year. I did literally everything I could do.
But just knowing that it’s snowing in the glorious town of Xanadu makes me smile, and makes me want to log in before you can say “Maple.”
I’m also a sucker for Nintendo games around this time of year, and since my partner and I always travel, it’s a no-brainer to bring my 3DS.
No matter how hard I try to stay away from my town, I know I will end up there at least once to hear the snow crunching under my digital feet, and to explore my town anew while marveling at the beauty of winter.
Are there any holiday events going on in games you enjoy? Will you be taking part? If so, which games? What are you looking forward to most?
Categories: games
Rebekah Lang 
Overwatch Winter Wonderland is what I’m participating in.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I can’t wait to play it, too!
LikeLike
I participated in Overwatch’s Winter Wonderland for a bit. I don’t think I’ve gotten any skins yet either and I missed out on all of the other events so far. I’d been playing a little more due to the Arcade mode additions but I still haven’t found a groove with it. I just saw that Gears 4 has a Christmas event going on called “Gearsmas” with a snowball fight mode too and special gun skins and outfits. I haven’t tried that yet, but I was playing Gears multiplayer on and off so I might try that out too.
I honestly don’t know how to feel about these types of things. On one hand it’s a great incentive to get people interested in playing again that hadn’t for a while, but with the RNG side of it, I understand how you feel if you don’t end up getting a limited skin you have your eye on.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You haven’t gotten any holiday skins at all? That’s disappointing. RNG can be just awful.
I hadn’t even heard of the Gears event, but that sounds like it could be fun, too.
I hope, if you keep playing Overwatch, that the RNG is better to you.
LikeLike
Personally, I too loved these themed events. The events provide a new (free) reason to return to a game that I enjoy. I spent entirely way too long in Overwatch’s Snowbrawl mode on Saturday trying to win a single match. That mode is brutal! While I didn’t get any holiday skins yet in my loot boxes, I enjoyed the time I spent playing (for the most part, I made sure to quit and later return when the Mei trolls became too much). The Dawning hasn’t yet convinced me to return to Destiny because I’ve played so much of that game and I’ve so many other games to play but I hope to log in for an SRL race or two. In the meantime, I make steady progress on Inside. The timed platforming puzzles are hard on my nerves so I only play until I’m more tightly wound than relaxed.
LikeLike
Mei trolls are the worst.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I recently watched a video of a Korean YouTuber and she was just ganged up on by Mei’s both from the opposing team as well as her own team. It was awful.
LikeLike
I haven’t played the Snowbrawl but I did watch the Test Chamber on GI and I can see how it would be hardcore.
I try to see the good in just about everything, but I’ve found the people who main Mei can be just awful to go up against.
I haven’t played any of The Dawning yet, either.
Oh man, I remember some of those puzzles, particularly one that involved some sort of sonic boom situation. It was tense for sure. I can’t wait to hear what you think of the game once you finish it.
LikeLike