Currently playing: Destiny 2: Forsaken (XB1), Sea Of Thieves (XB1), Graveyard Keeper (GWG), Prison Architect (GWG), Ticket To Earth (iOS)
I turned 35 this week, and I asked Curt what he thought about the fact that we were getting old. He said, "The games look better, and the booze is from a higher shelf." At first, I put the controller down, my pirate avatar left floating in the water, maybe also considering his life choices. Then the truth of Curt's statement hit home as a 25-year friendship flashed back through my mind.
Curt and I met in kindergarten through a mutual friend and burden Justin. At first, we only saw each other at sleepovers at Justin's house connected only through the knowledge that one of us one day would have to take care of Justin in his sunset years (40-45). As the years went on, we began to bond, and video games have been a big part of that.
The first time I really remember beating a game was Metal Gear Solid. Curt spent the night at my house and a snowstorm hit, which is pretty unusual for where we live and before global warming forced us all to start killing each other for dehydrated water in the early aughts.
As the snow fell, we knew we were free from both Curt having to go home and to school, so we loaded up Metal Gear and started through the "campaign," which at the time you just called "the game" because it was all you got. Despite what our Gamerscores would have you believe, Curt is by far the superior gamer, and I mostly just watched a Master work. Every once in a while he would pass the controller my way during the easy parts. While other kids played in the last snow the earth will ever remember, Curt and I cemented a friendship in blood and stealth. It was a great weekend, and I think the start of something beautiful.
Here is to better graphics and the journey to the top shelf.
Cheers.